When The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power introduced Daniel Weyman's Stranger, fans quickly started theorising about who the mysterious Istar (wizard) might be. Sauron was the most popular suggestion for a time, with Saruman and Gandalf not far behind.
After several hints that he may, in fact, be Gandalf, that was finally confirmed in the show's Season 2 finale. Now, as we head into the upcoming third season, The Rings of Power will continue to explore the iconic wizard's origin story.
Empire (via SFFGazette.com) has revealed a new look at Weyman as Gandalf the Grey. He certainly looks the part, though it may be hard for some fans to separate this from Sir Ian McKellen's iconic interpretation on the big screen. Talking to the site, the actor recalled showrunners J.D Payne and Patrick McKay breaking the news to him that it was finally time to go full Gandalf.
"Just before we started Season 3, J.D. and Patrick told me: 'We want to see that Gandalf has arrived. We want to see him as the wizard we all love from Tolkien’s writings,'" he explained. "I found this new side to him, the side that we all hopefully recognise: the mischief, the twinkle in his eye."
Later describing wearing Gandalf's hat as "unbelievably spine-tingling," Weyman said he was "pinching myself all the way through."
For Payne, adding the character to the mix will see him "[go] from learning how to control his powers, to understanding that wizards actually have a prophetic dimension. That their job is to inspire the hearts of the people around them to find their own courage to unite against the darkness."
Despite a reported decline in viewership, Amazon is said to be committed to its five-season plan for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, meaning we still have plenty of ground to cover in the stories of both Gandalf and Sauron. At the same time, McKellen is returning to the role for Andy Serkis' The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum movie.
Complicated rights issues keep the TV show and movies completely separate. Still, for fans of author J. R. R. Tolkien's work, it's an exciting time to explore these different corners of Middle-earth, especially with a new slate of big screen tales also on the way.
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, bind all peoples to his will – and at last rule all Middle-earth.
Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and executive producer-director Charlotte Brandstrom. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer, and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on Prime Video on November 11.