Prime Video doesn't usually release its viewing figures unless they are records, and in the past The Wheel of Time was the streaming giant's top viewer, but that record has now been taken over by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The most expensive TV series of all time, it drew over 25 million viewers when it premiered on Friday, despite a lot of criticism. And of course it's hard to compare and it's not "apples to apples" either but HBO Max's long-awaited Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon drew 10 million viewers on its premiere. Here's what Amazon boss Jennifer Salke had to say:
"It is somehow fitting that Tolkien's stories - among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre - have led us to this proud moment and I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estat, and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew - for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy. And it is the tens of millions of fans watching - clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are - who are our true measure of success."
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has reportedly cost almost £399 million, so the strong start is of course of utmost importance as the same level of commitment will be required in the future to cover the huge budget.
Read our review of the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power here.