A new ad for the combined HBO Max-Discovery+ streamer refers to it as "the one to watch when you want to rule them all."
Though the ad features an image from the HBO series "Game of Thrones,"
the slogan recalls a famous line of dialogue from J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord
of the Rings" books.
- The juxtaposition
was widely read as a jab at Amazon's "Lord of the Rings" Prime Video
series, subtlely implying that the HBO franchise is now the world's top
fantasy franchise.
- The first seasons of Amazon's "Lord of the
Rings" series and HBO's "Thrones" spinoff "House of the Dragon" debuted
around the same time last fall.
- "Game of Thrones" owners Warner Bros. Discovery also intend to produce a new "Lord of the Rings" film franchise.
- Both
"House of the Dragon" and "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" are
currently in production on second seasons in the UK; both shows will
return in 2024.
