Rings of Power release schedule: When is episode 8 released?

The show, which is not a direct adaptation of The Lord of the Rings but instead a new story drawn on the lore of the original novels by J R R Tolkien and their appendices, focuses on a number of different characters and groups.

There's Elven warrior Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), who fears the evil of Sauron is growing once more in Middle-earth, elven politician Elrond (Robert Aramayo) who has visited his friend Prince Durin IV for council, a community of Harfoots who have found their plans changed forever when a mysterious stranger crash landed in a comet, and many more.

But when will the next episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power be released, and how many episodes will there be total?

Read on for everything you need to know about the release schedule for The Rings of Power.

When is The Rings of Power episode 8 released?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episode 8 will be released on Amazon Prime Video at 5am BST on Friday 14th October 2022.

The first two episodes were released on Friday 2nd September, but since then, all future episodes are being placed on Prime Video with one per week.

All in all, the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will consist of eight episodes.

What will happen in The Rings of Power episode 8?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will conclude its first season with its eighth instalment.

The finale was set up in the penultimate outing of the season, The Eye, which saw characters moving to different areas.

Queen Regent Míriel ordered the return of her army to Númenor and the majority of soldiers are returning home, while the refugees from the Southlands are heading to a new home at a Númenórean colony.

Elsewhere, Galadriel is set to return to Lindon to face the judgment of High King Gil-galad and also seek to heal the wounds of her friend Halbrand, the nominal King of the Southlands.

This is all occurring as Adar has succeeded in transforming the Southlands into a hellish new home for the Orcs, Mordor.

Meanwhile, Elrond will have to decide what to do with the small amount of Mithril that he now obtains, while Prince Durin IV will have to decide how to behave now with his father King Durin III after betraying him.

Finally, Nori Brandyfoot and her Harfoot comrades are heading to warn The Stranger of the trio of sorceresses who are following him. Will they reach him in time?

Teasing the finale to RadioTimes.com and other press, co-showrunner J.D. Payne said: "I think we can say that there are some plotlines that will come together and that we've sent some people off in some places at the end in terms of you've watched the Numenoreans go home and there are surprises awaiting them there. You've watched Halbrand and Galadriel head off somewhere. You've sort of left Elrond in a predicament where all he has is this one blanket of Mithril - what's he gonna do the Eldar’s still fading and all these guys, one little piece of Mithril.

“So, you know, that tees us up to have some things that have been brewing all season kind of come together and collide - hopefully, in an unexpected and fun way.”

The Rings of Power release schedule

The following dates are the release schedule for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

1. Episode 1 - Shadow of the Past - Friday 2nd September 2022 at 2am BST.
2. Episode 2 - Adrift - Friday 2nd September 2022 at 2am BST.
3. Episode 3 - Adar - Friday 9th September 2022 at 5am BST.
4. Episode 4 - The Great Wave - Friday 16th September 2022 at 5am BST.
5. Episode 5 - Partings - Friday 23rd September 2022 at 5am BST.
6. Episode 6 - Udûn - Friday 30th September 2022 at 5am BST.
7. Episode 7 - The Eye - Friday 7th October 2022 at 5am BST.
8. Episode 8 - TBC - Friday 14th October 2022 at 5am BST.

So, the series will conclude its first season in mid-October 2022.

How many episodes are in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 will consist of eight episodes.

A second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has already been officially commissioned and is set to begin filming in the UK - instead of New Zealand - in October 2022.

When Amazon secured the rights for a Lord of the Rings television series from the Tolkien estate, it was reported by Deadline that the streaming service would have a multi-season commitment to the show.

In this case, the future of the blockbuster series feels rather secure.

Read more on The Rings of Power:

• How to watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in order
• Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review – Dazzling prequel doesn't let Tolkien fans down
• Meet the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
• What is Valinor in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
• Who is Morgoth in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
• Who is Galadriel’s brother? Meet Finrod actor Will Fletcher
• What is the Second Age of Middle-earth? Rings of Power timeline explained

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues on Amazon Prime Video on Fridays – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub.

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