J.R.R Tolkien fans have an opportunity to return to Middle-earth – though things might look a little different this time. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power introduces a new episodic format, new characters, a new age, and a new legend set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books.
Read on to learn more about the cast, the creative direction, and most importantly, how, where, and when you can watch.
What is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power about?
The epic drama brings the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. It takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil returning to Middle-earth.
From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
When does The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power take place?
The series is set a thousand years before the original The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie trilogies.
Do you need to be familiar with the movies or the books to understand the series?
No! As the series is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, audiences new to the franchise do not have to watch the movies or read the books to enjoy the series.
For long-standing The Lord of the Rings fans, which well-known characters show up in the series?
Fans will recognise several familiar characters in the series, including Galadriel, Elrond, High King Gil-galad, Sauron and Tom Bombadil - who book fans will be familiar with.
What is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 about?
In season 2 of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without an army or an ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will.
Building on season 1’s epic scope and ambition, the upcoming season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity.
As friendships are strained and kingdoms begin the fracture, elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters most of all: each other.
When does The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powers season 2 come out?
Season 2 of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powers will be released on 29 August. Learn more about the upcoming season.
How many episodes are in the series?
There are eight episodes in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1.
Where can you watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to watch on Prime Video. You can watch all eight episodes of season 1 now while waiting for season 2 to launch on 29 August.
If you are a Prime member, simply log in to your account to watch on Prime Video, free with your membership. If you’re not a Prime member yet, learn more about the benefits and find out how you can sign up.
Where is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power filmed?
Season 1 of the Prime Video series was filmed in New Zealand and season 2 was filmed in the UK.
Who is in the cast?
There are 38 cast members in season 1. The cast for the first season includes: Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Nazanin Boniadi, Beau Cassidy, Kip Chapman, Morfydd Clark, Anthony Crum, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Maxine Cunliffe, Charles Edwards, Will Fletcher, Trystan Gravelle, Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Thusitha Jayasundera, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Simon Merrells, Fabian McCallum, Geoff Morrell, Tyroe Muhafidin, Peter Mullan, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Augustus Prew, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Peter Tait, Alex Tarrant, Charlie Vickers, Amelie Child-Villiers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
18 new cast members have been announced for season 2. This includes Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear, Tanya Moodie, Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen 'Zates' Atour, Ben Daniels, Sam Hazeldine, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, Nicolas Woodeson, Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Stuart Bowman, Calam Lynch, William Chubb, Kelvin Eldon, Will Keen, Selina Lo, and Gavi Singh Chera.
Find out more about the new cast additions.
Who directed the series?
Seasons 1 and 2 are produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Season 1 was directed by Wayne Che Yip, J.A. Bayona, and Charlotte Brändström. Season 2 is directed by Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, and Louise Hooper.
Who wrote the series?
Season one writers included showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay, along with executive producer Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad), executive producer Jason Cahill (The Sopranos), executive producer Justin Doble (Stranger Things), consulting producers Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones) and Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4), producer Ron Ames (The Aviator), co-producer Helen Shang (Hannibal), and writing consultant Glenise Mullins.
While waiting for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, there are plenty of other great fantasy TV series to watch on Prime Video including, The Wheel of Time, Carnival Row, and Good Omens.
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