J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy—featuring a fresh audio experience—is coming to listeners this September
RBmedia, the largest audiobook producer in the world, today announced a new audiobook edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, read by BAFTA-winning actor, director, and author Andy Serkis.
Serkis has earned acclaim from both critics and audiences for his work in a range of memorable roles. He gained legions of fans around the globe for his performance as Gollum in the Academy Award®–winning “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson.
Last year, Serkis brilliantly performed RBmedia’s new recording of “The Hobbit” audiobook, which went on to become a critically acclaimed audio bestseller. The same team has reunited to bring Tolkien’s epic “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy to a new generation of listeners.
“Walking back into Middle-earth over 20 years after my first life-changing adventure there and experiencing it all over again—this time for many weeks alone in a sound booth—has brought in equal measures of pure joy, sheer madness, immense pleasure, and a level of psychological and physical fatigue I have never quite experienced the like of before,” said Serkis. “Having now completed the quest and been ‘there and back again … again,’ I realize what a phenomenal privilege it has been to have had the opportunity to read this sublime work once more. My only hope, now, is that I have done it justice, and that the listening experience conveys the power and beauty of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece.”
This new audiobook version will be a contemporary reading of “The Lord of the Rings” to complement the classic recording narrated by Rob Inglis. Continuing the story begun in “The Hobbit,” Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy—“The Fellowship of the Ring,” The Two Towers,” and “The Return of the King”—tells the saga of the hobbits of Middle-earth and the great War of the Rings. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was first published in 1954 and has since gone on to become an acclaimed classic of modern literature and an international bestseller in more than 50 languages, selling more than 100 million copies worldwide.
“RBmedia is proud to be the North American publisher of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. You can’t overstate the impact that ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy has had on how stories are told in the world. It broke new ground in unimaginable ways and laid the foundation for an entire genre. Giving these stories new life with a new narration is a privilege,” said Troy Juliar, Chief Content Officer for RBmedia. “The journey through Middle-earth is as compelling and magical as it ever was. Having an actor of Andy Serkis’ caliber bring these qualities to life so brilliantly will excite the imagination of a whole new audience.”
The Lord of the Rings trilogy read by Andy Serkis is available for preorder now on Audiobooks.com and Audible. The audiobooks will be published by RBmedia’s flagship publishing brand, Recorded Books, in North America on September 16, 2021, and available for digital download on Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, and wherever digital audiobooks are sold.
HarperCollins will publish the audiobooks in the UK and the rest of the world.
###
About RBmedia
RBmedia is the largest audiobook producer in the world. With more than 50,000 exclusive titles, our audiobooks continually dominate key literary awards and bestseller lists. The company’s powerful digital retail and library distribution network reaches millions of listeners around the globe—at home, in the car, and everywhere their mobile devices go. Our titles are available on leading audio platforms, including Audible, iTunes, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, Hoopla, and many more. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at rbmediaglobal.com.
About Andy Serkis
ANDY SERKIS is an award-winning actor who has earned acclaim from both critics and audiences for his work in a range of memorable roles. He gained legions of fans around the globe for his performance as Gollum in the Academy Award®–winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Serkis won an Empire Award for his role, in addition to sharing in several outstanding ensemble cast awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award®. He reunited with Jackson in the director’s epic retelling of “King Kong,” taking performance capture to another level as the title character of Kong.