The Lord Of The Rings prequel series The Rings Of Power will definitely return for a third season, Amazon Prime Video have confirmed.
Created by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, the show is set thousands of years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and depicts the rise of Sauron in Middle-earth’s Second Age.
The second season, which aired from August to October last year, saw its viewing figures decrease from 60 per cent from season one, with a total of 902,000 households in the US having watched the first episode.
Despite this, the streaming service has confirmed that season three has been given the green light, with pre-production having now begun at its new home at Shepperton Studios near London. The new episodes are expected to start shooting in the spring (via Variety).
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and we’re thrilled that a third season is underway,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios. “The creative team has an extraordinary vision of what’s to come with stories that have left us enchanted and enthralled. We look forward to continuing this epic journey, for our global customers, delving even deeper into the legendary tales that shaped Middle-earth.”
The Hollywood Reporter state that season three will see a major jump in the timeline, citing a logline that teases: “Jumping forward several years from the events of season two, season three takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.”
The confirmation of the third season sees Amazon stand by their promise to stick to their 50-episode commitment to the series, with boss Jennifer Salke having said in October that “there’s no debate about whether or not the show will continue”.
Season two proved divisive among critics, but in a four-star review, NME wrote: “The action comes to a head in an epic battle told across two episodes, balanced against some excellent character work (and surprising deaths). Those who complained that nothing happened in House Of The Dragon’s sophomore effort will thrill at how The Rings Of Power refuses to slump.”
“Indeed, the second season improves on the first, sharpening its narrative and taking assured footsteps forward as the writers continue to tell this expansive tale. Let’s just hope the series doesn’t make like the hobbits and end up going in circles.”
Meanwhile, it was announced last May that a new Lord Of The Rings film will be released by Warner Bros. in 2026, with help from Peter Jackson.
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