Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation, plot, latest news
When will we be returning to Middle-earth once more?
It's official - The Rings of Power season 3 is confirmed!
A few months after the season 2 finale, Prime Video has announced that season 3 is coming, with production starting soon - and they've even shared a synopsis of what we have to look forward to.
Season 2 episode 8 saw brutal deaths, a huge betrayal, and a gigantic reveal as we finally learnt the identity of Daniel Weyman's The Stranger.
Set in JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth, the epic fantasy series faced much criticism in the wake of its initial release.
However, season 2 has proven to be an improvement, with the villain adopting a brand new form and new additions to the sprawling cast, including Ciarán Hinds as the Dark Wizard and Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil, making their mark.
But what's in store beyond this instalment? Here's everything we know so far about The Rings of Power season 3!
The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation
A release date for The Rings of Power season 3 hasn't been confirmed yet, but we wouldn't expect to see it any sooner than summer 2026.
The second season arrived almost exactly two years after the first, and given the show's hefty budget, extensive VFX work and dramatic production values, it seems unlikely the team would be able to get another season out much quicker than that.
According to Deadline, the new season is now in pre-production, with production set to begin this spring.
Charlotte Brändström will return as an executive producer and director for season 3, alongside returning director Sanaa Hamri. Director Stefan Schwartz will also join the series.
The season 3 renewal was announced in February 2025, with Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios, saying: "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and we’re thrilled that a third season is under way.
"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."
When asked about any confirmation for season 3 in August 2024, at the season 2 premiere, one of the series's showrunners, McKay, said: "All we can say is, we’re working on it. We’re cooking. Let us cook!"
McKay's co-showrunner JD Payne also told Empire that the show was intended to last for five seasons.
He said: "We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be. The rights that Amazon bought were for a 50-hour show.
"They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas – this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle and end. There are things in the first season that don’t pay off until season 5."
More recently, Payne told RadioTimes.com of the five-season plan and the show's pacing: "In some ways it was a plan from the very, very beginning. The earliest days we were talking about this project and this property and where we thought there was a story that demanded to be told.
"What's great about this era of Middle-earth's history is that there are these incredible tentpole events.
"They're laid out in the appendices in the books. We fashioned the show so that each season would would, you know, be built around a couple of these major tentpole moments... And you have to stay tuned to see what we do next time."
What will the plot of The Rings of Power season 3 be?
Prime Video has released a synopsis for The Rings of Power season 3 and has confirmed we've got a time jump ahead of us.
It reads: "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 Middle-earth at least."
Which cast members could return for the Rings of Power season 3?
While a full cast list hasn't yet been confirmed, we can make a decent guess as to who will be back in season 3 - and who certainly won't be.
Of course, we're expecting to see the return of Charlie Vickers as Sauron and Morfydd Clark as Galadriel as they continue to represent the forces of good and evil.
Here are some of the central cast members from The Rings of Power season 2, who could return for a third season:
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Charlie Vickers as Sauron
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
- Markella Kavenagh as Elanor 'Nori' Brandyfoot
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV
- Sophia Nomvete as Princess Disa
- Lloyd Owen as Elendil
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel
- Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Ema Horvath as Eärien
- Leon Wadham as Kemen
- Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil
- Ben Daniels as Círdan
- Ciaran Hinds as the Dark Wizard
- Nia Towle as Estrid
There are various characters we wouldn't expect back for future seasons, including Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), who died at the hands of Sauron in the season 2 finale. The same can be said for Adar (Sam Hazeldine), whose demise saw the Orcs turn against him on Sauron's orders.
Season 2 episode 8 also saw the death of King Durin (Peter Mullan) as he faced a Balrog, with Prince Durin (Owain Arthur) set to take on the throne.
Earlier in the season, we saw the deaths of Alex Tarrant as Valandil, and Amelia Kenworthy as Mirdania, so we're not expecting to see them back.
Despite Nazanin Boniadi's Bronwyn making it out of season 1 alive, the beginning episodes of season 2 revealed that she died off-screen between seasons. That's because Boniadi exited the show after season 1 for personal reasons.
We also won't rule out some further recasts. The character of Adar was previously played by Joseph Mawle, with Sam Hazeldine taking over for season 2. While no recasts have been announced, it's clearly a possibility in The Rings of Power.
How many episodes will The Rings of Power season 3 consist of?
Nothing is confirmed yet, but we'd expect future seasons to consist of eight episodes, just like seasons 1 and 2.
Is there a trailer for The Rings of Power season 3?
There isn't a trailer available for The Rings of Power season 3 just yet, but we'll keep this page updated once any new footage is released.
How many seasons are planned for The Rings of Power?
When the deal between Amazon Studios and co-showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay was made, it was confirmed they were planning for five seasons.
"We’re building infrastructure for five seasons. We’re building a small city. We were always going to spend what we needed to spend to get it right," Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke told Variety.
She added: "I’m fortunate to be working at this company where we want to be financially disciplined, but nobody wanted to compromise on what this would be visually.
"I think it was all money really well spent. If you look at how people are reacting to the visual experience of the show, that’s been overwhelmingly positive."
Of course, that doesn't mean that five seasons are officially confirmed, only planned.
The Rings of Power is available to watch on Prime Video – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.
If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
