It’s good news for The Rings of Power’s future and the decision on a third season!
One of the biggest fantasy shows out there is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The prequel to the Oscar-winning movie franchise takes place thousands of years before the films and the events leading to Sauron creating the One Ring.
Season 2 aired in 2024, with the question of whether it will continue. While the show is a success, its huge budget (reportedly over a billion dollars for the two seasons so far) makes it pretty costly. Also, while viewing numbers seem strong, a report indicated viewership had fallen a whopping 60% from season 1.
Those worries of cancellation are for naught, as Rings of Power has been renewed for season 3! TV Line had the report along with a statement from Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios:
“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.”
It’s not too surprising Amazon is going ahead with a third season as they have committed to the program and the plans of creators J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay for a five-season plan. Despite any viewer decline, Amazon has already invested so much in the series that dropping it now would be costly.
This means we're hitting the midpoint of this plan and it looks like season 3 will be a big shift for the series.
A time jump for Rings of Power
For those who forgot, season 2 ended with the twisted Sauron clashing with Galadriel and the epic Siege of Eregion. We also got the confirmation that the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) was actually Gandalf. It ended with Sauron escaping and the setup for a grander conflict.
It looks like the series is jumping forward in time several years to try and set up the events of the War for the Ring that the movies talk about.
“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.”
A time jump seems a logical step for the series. It gives the sense of moving things ahead as Sauron spends more time in hiding and building the other Rings and spreading them across Middle-Earth. It will also show the fallout on the human and dwarven kingdoms to the season 2 events.
It can allow a bit of aging up to characters like Isildur (Maxim Baldry), who plays a critical role in the LOTR saga. Of course, if one wants to be cynical, it could be the producers are more worried about not getting a fourth season and thus jumping to the part of the story everyone wants: how Sauron creates the One Ring and begins his takeover of Middle-Earth.
While scripts are being written, it’s probable the show won’t begin production until late 2025 at the earliest. That means viewers won’t see it until 2026 or maybe even 2027, depending on how big it is. Yet fans can be happy the saga of Middle-Earth continues and Rings of Power is finally getting to the good stuff.
The Rings of Power streams on Prime Video.