The Rings Of Power will officially return for a third season with fans set to expect a major twist.
The Lord of the Rings spin-off series is set thousands of years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Lord of the Rings and depicts the major events of Middle-earth’s Second Age.
Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed the series will return for a third season after its second instalment aired on Prime Video last Autumn.
Vernon Sanders, head of television at 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 underway. 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.”
The third season is currently in preproduction, and filming of the fantasy drama will begin this spring at the show’s new production home at Shepperton Studios in United Kingdom.
Rings of Power Season 2 saw the rise of Sauron (Image: Amazon MGM Studios)
According to The Reporter, there will be a major twist for the new season. The series will take a time jump several years after season two, with Sauron now crafting the iconic One Ring.
A plot teaser states: “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.”
Fans will know The War of the Elves took place during author J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, and was the first major battle in Middle-earth against Sauron (Charlie Vickers). The battle occurs before the epic clash seen in the Lord of the Rings movies, namely the War of the Last Alliance.
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.
Sanaa Hamri (The Wheel of Time), who directed three episodes in season two, is also back while Stefan Schwartz (The Boys, The Walking Dead) will direct some episodes in season three.
Galadriel and Sauron fought in the season 2 finale (Image: Amazon MGM Studios)
Season two finale saw Sauron kill many major characters and the Elves team up to battle against the Dark Lord. Fans will also recall The Stranger was revealed to be Gandalf, a figure many fans speculated across the two seasons.
Amazon MGM Studios say The Rings of Power’s season one remains the biggest TV premiere in the history of Prime Video and season two the most-watched returning season by hours watched. 170 million viewers worldwide have checked out the show and it’s been one of the strongest drivers for new Prime membership sign-ups.
The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and 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.