Rings of Power officially renewed for season 3 – with filming dates set

Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios, said: "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."

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.

Brändström previously told RadioTimes.com, "I can't say much about season 3, but I think there'll be good news soon," also further confirming that showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne are "working on it".

The finale episode of season 2 saw brutal deaths at the hands of Charlie Vickers's Sauron, with the Elves deciding to take the battle to him.

We also learnt the true identity of Daniel Weyman's The Stranger.

It's no secret that the showrunners have been aiming for a five-season arc, with Payne telling RadioTimes.com: "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."

The Rings of Power season 2 is available to watch on Prime Video now – 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.