Will Poulter exits the new Amazon 'Lord of the Rings' series

Will Poulter has reportedly exited the forthcoming Lord of the Rings series for Amazon over scheduling conflicts.

According to Deadline, the British star of movies like The Revenant and Midsommar had been in talks for a key role, but is now walking away from the ambitious new project.

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Amazon is currently plotting out the series, which will explore the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's famous novels, taking place before the events of the Fellowship of the Ring books, in the 'Second Age of Middle-earth'.

This is the period when Sauron first created his 'Rings of Power', included the fateful 'one ring' which ruled them all, and which in Tolkien lore spans over 3,500 years.

Two seasons have already been ordered by Amazon, with a potential for five in all, each costing a massive $250 million each, making this a possible $1 billion project for the streaming studio.

It has also been reported that the first season will run to a mammoth 20 episodes, according to Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey, who is working as a consultant on the show.

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Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and A Monster Calls director J.A. Bayona is set to direct, with JD Payne and Patrick McKay as showrunners, and Game of Thrones producer Bryan Cogman also involved.

Among those already cast are Joseph Mawle, also a Game of Thrones alumnus (he played Benjen Stark), as the show's villain.

Also cast are relative newcomers Ema Horvath and Markella Kavenagh.

Production, which is taking place in New Zealand, is expected to begin in 2020.