It's been confirmed that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will return for season 3 on Amazon's Prime Video. While the news doesn't come as a surprise, it arrives several months after season 2 concluded.
The season 2 finale wrapped up with various cliffhangers, including the Elves resolving to stand against Sauron's army as it marched across Middle-earth (helping matters was the fact the Elves and Dwarfs had crafted their own powerful Rings capable of levelling the playing field).
The Hollywood Reporter reveals that we're getting a major time jump when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns and the trade has shared the first story details in an official logline:
"Jumping forward several years from the events of season 2, season 3 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 Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 is currently in pre-production at London's Shepperton Studios and is expected to begin shooting this spring. A 2026 premiere seems likely.
"'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, today. "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."
Charlotte Brändström (Shōgun), a co-executive producer who directed multiple episodes in the first two seasons, will serve as season 3's executive producer and will direct multiple episodes. Sanaa Hamri (The Wheel of Time) will also return to direct, with veteran filmmaker Stefan Schwartz (The Boys) also boarding the series.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history.
This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take 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.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hails from showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and Brändström also executive produce. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.
Keep checking back here for Middle-earth updates as we have them.