The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation, cast, plot, and more news
Oct. 3, 2024There’s still a lot more of Middle-earth’s story to tell
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The Rings of Power season 2brought the latest outing of the Lord of the Rings prequel series to a dramatic close. However, this story is far from over. At the end of the latest episodes of the Prime Video fantasy, Sauron was stronger than he’s ever been, the Elves were in disarray, and the Dwarves had some big, monstrous problems of their own. Middle-earth isn’t looking too great right now, but what’s that saying? It’s always darkest just before the dawn…
The Rings of Power season 3 has yet to be officially announced by Prime Video, but at this point, it’s just a formality. The showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have been busy working on the third season’s story (even giving a little tease about Elrond’s future). As well as this, a recentindustry report suggested that work on the third season had been happening for monthsbefore season 2 wrapped.
Now that’s sorted, we’ve put together a handy guide of everything you need to know about The Rings of Power season 3, from cast to potential story, and even some exclusive insight. While you’re here, why not have a read of our guide to thebest shows on Amazon Prime Videotoo?
The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation
At the moment, there is no release date for The Rings of Power season 3, as it hasn’t been officially renewed by Prime Video yet. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have any idea about when to expect it.
Now, while this is a really good sign, it doesn’t tell us too much about when we might see season 3, as writing on the second season actually took place at the same time as filming on the first season.
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Of course, this is just a guess at the moment, so we’ll keep you posted with any updates.
The Rings of Power season 3 doesn’t have an official synopsis just yet, but given where the finale brings the story, we do have a good idea about what to expect. First and foremost,Sauronis now at his greatest power yet, having taken possession of the Nine Rings for Men as well as bringing the Orc army under his wing. After his confrontation with Galadriel, we see him standing withFeëanor’s hammer inAnnatarform, and we’re betting this is setting up his forging of the One Ring. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, Sauron forges this in the flames ofMordor– could this be where he is heading next?
He’ll face opposition no doubt from the rest of Middle-earth. The Elves are bruised and battered following theSiege of Eregion, with severely depleted numbers. However, even with Galadriel recovering from her near death experience, she decides along with Elrond and Gil-galad that they will fight to defeat the Dark Lord. We expect the third season will begin with them rallying their ranks and working out how to do this.
They’ll have a new ally though, who has just learned his name: Gandalf. Yes,the Strangerwas the famous wizard after all. He now knows his name, has his staff, and is set on his path to clash with both theDark Wizardand with Sauron. It’s not yet clear whether the Harfoots will be part of this, as they head off on their own way at the end of the season, but let’s hope it’s not the last we see of them.
Elsewhere, things are not looking good. In Khazad-dûm, the Dwarves are in mourning after the death of King Durin and are also dealing with the fact they’ve awoken the Balrog under the mountain. Numenór is in disarray with Pharazon declaring supporters of Miriel as traitors and sending Elendil fleeing with a very familiar sword (read more about Narsil here). It’s not much better for the other humans either, many of whom (including Isildur) are leaving the Southlands for Numenor.
In terms of where we leave season 2 on theLord of the Rings timeline, we’re nearing the halfway point of the Second Age. Looking at what to expect next from Tolkien’s books, we’ll likely see the creation of Rivendell in the wake of Eregion’s fall, but there is a big gap in the timeline between that and the next big event: the first sighting of theNazghûl. It seems pretty clear that The Rings of Power will look to fill in the gaps of the men given the rings in season 3.
GamesRadar+ also has some exclusive insight about what could happen next from the cast themselves.Sauron star Charlie Vickers teased the futurefor Galadriel and his character into season 3 and beyond. “I think there’s definitely going to still be a presence. I think it was a confrontation. But I think, as you see in The Lord of the Rings books, he is still present in her mind,” Vickers says. “And I think as long as this show continues, they are the forces of good and evil. And I think that connection will endure for the show. It’s not all over yet.” He also added of Sauron, “This is only the beginning for him. I think that’s the exciting part.”
Although there were some big casualties (RIPAdar, King Durin and Celebrimbor) in The Rings of Power season 2, we’re expecting most of the major cast to return for a third season. There will also likely be plenty of new characters joining as well, but in the meantime, this is who we’re expecting back for the next season.
There’s no trailer for The Rings of Power season 3 yet, as filming hasn’t begun on the show. Watch this space though as we’ll keep you up to date with any news we get.
While we wait for more news on The Rings of Power season 3, check out our guide to thebest shows on Amazon Prime Video, ranked.
I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I’ve also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.
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