The Rings of Power season 3 is on its way as the epic Lord of the Rings prequel continues on Prime Video. And after a dramatic end to the second season, it seems there's so much left to explore. We had big deaths, new monsters, and some huge revelations for the cast of characters of the fantasy show – and now Sauron has never looked stronger.
While The Rings of Power season 3 has yet to be officially announced by Prime Video, it's clearly just a formality as the showrunners have been speaking openly about it. In fact, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay even told us recently that it's in the works when season 2 was named our TV show of 2024. As well as this, a recent industry report suggested that work on the third season had been happening for months before season 2 wrapped.
Now that's sorted, we've put together a handy guide of everything you need to know about The Rings of Power season 3, from cast to potential story, and even some exclusive insight. While you're here, why not have a read of our guide to the best shows on Amazon Prime Video too?
The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation
At the moment, there is no release date for The Rings of Power season 3, as it hasn’t been officially renewed by Prime Video yet. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have any idea about when to expect it.
Back at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay confirmed work had begun on the new episodes. "We're working on it,” he said at a press conference attended by 12DOVE on July 27, 2024.
Then we got another update in December 2024 when we asked the showrunners if they've been thinking a lot about the future direction of the series. "The answer is yes, we're very excited, but we can't say anything other than we're working on season three," McKay told us. "We have a story we think is really strong, and we're hoping to turn it around as fast as possible."
Now, while this is a really good sign, it doesn’t tell us too much about when we might see season 3, as writing on the second season actually took place at the same time as filming on the first season.
We’ll have a much clearer idea when filming actually kicks off on the third instalment. Filming on season 2 began about a month after the end of season 1 aired. Looking at the time between season 2 starting production and actual release, it took about 20 months. If season 3 follows the exact same pattern, this means we can expect to see it around August 2026.
Of course, this is just a guess at the moment, so we'll keep you posted with any updates.
The Rings of Power season 3 plot
The Rings of Power season 3 doesn’t have an official synopsis just yet, but given where the finale brings the story, we do have a good idea about what to expect. First and foremost, Sauron is now at his greatest power yet, having taken possession of the Nine Rings for Men as well as bringing the Orc army under his wing. After his confrontation with Galadriel, we see him standing with Feëanor’s hammer in Annatar form, and we’re betting this is setting up his forging of the One Ring. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, Sauron forges this in the flames of Mordor – could this be where he is heading next?
He’ll face opposition no doubt from the rest of Middle-earth. The Elves are bruised and battered following the Siege of Eregion, with severely depleted numbers. However, even with Galadriel recovering from her near death experience, she decides along with Elrond and Gil-galad that they will fight to defeat the Dark Lord. We expect the third season will begin with them rallying their ranks and working out how to do this.
They’ll have a new ally though, who has just learned his name: Gandalf. Yes, the Stranger was the famous wizard after all. He now knows his name, has his staff, and is set on his path to clash with both the Dark Wizard and with Sauron. It’s not yet clear whether the Harfoots will be part of this, as they head off on their own way at the end of the season, but let’s hope it’s not the last we see of them.
Elsewhere, things are not looking good. In Khazad-dûm, the Dwarves are in mourning after the death of King Durin and are also dealing with the fact they’ve awoken the Balrog under the mountain. Numenór is in disarray with Pharazon declaring supporters of Miriel as traitors and sending Elendil fleeing with a very familiar sword (read more about Narsil here). It’s not much better for the other humans either, many of whom (including Isildur) are leaving the Southlands for Numenor.
In terms of where we leave season 2 on the Lord of the Rings timeline, we’re nearing the halfway point of the Second Age. Looking at what to expect next from Tolkien’s books, we’ll likely see the creation of Rivendell in the wake of Eregion’s fall, but there is a big gap in the timeline between that and the next big event: the first sighting of the Nazghûl. It seems pretty clear that The Rings of Power will look to fill in the gaps of the men given the rings in season 3.
12DOVE also has some exclusive insight about what could happen next from the cast themselves. Sauron star Charlie Vickers teased the future for Galadriel and his character into season 3 and beyond. "I think there's definitely going to still be a presence. I think it was a confrontation. But I think, as you see in The Lord of the Rings books, he is still present in her mind," Vickers says. "And I think as long as this show continues, they are the forces of good and evil. And I think that connection will endure for the show. It's not all over yet." He also added of Sauron, "This is only the beginning for him. I think that's the exciting part."
The Rings of Power season 3 cast
Although there were some big casualties (RIP Adar, King Durin and Celebrimbor) in The Rings of Power season 2, we’re expecting most of the major cast to return for a third season. There will also likely be plenty of new characters joining as well, but in the meantime, this is who we’re expecting back for the next season.
- Charlie Vickers as Sauron
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad
- Daniel Weyman as Gandalf
- Sophia Nomvete as Disa
- Owain Arthur as Durin IV
- Kevin Eldon as Narvi
- Lloyd Owen as Elendil
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Markella Kavenagh as Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Ciarán Hinds as the Dark Wizard
- Ema Horvath as Eärien
- Leon Wadham as Kemen
- Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil
The Rings of Power season 3 trailer
There’s no trailer for The Rings of Power season 3 yet, as filming hasn’t begun on the show. Watch this space though as we’ll keep you up to date with any news we get.
While we wait for more news on The Rings of Power season 3, check out our guide to the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, ranked.
