The Rings Of Power Season 2 Cast, Showrunners, Directors, Plot And More Details
Season 1 of Amazon Prime's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," based on J. R. R. Tolkien's fantastical body of wordy work, is finally available to stream in its entirety. Since its genesis, the production has been beleaguered with a complicated critical response. There was even a span of time in which Amazon suspended user reviews, as they were universally negative. At the time, these depressing ratings were framed as an act of review bombing. While that may be true, Season 1 has wrapped, and the current IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes scores don't reflect a beloved prestige fantasy series in perfect standing with the public.
It is not for us to say whether these scores accurately quantify the quality of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." It is, however, for us to share whether or not these scores have influenced the production's future. The short answer is no, they haven't, because there are plans already in motion for Season 2. "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" was awarded an early renewal order way ahead of Season 1's release, in fact. Long before the production was fully shaped, it had already been decided that it would go beyond Season 1.
Fast forward to today. What is Season 2 of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" looking like? Here's everything we know so far.
When will The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 be released?
In October 2022, The Hollywood Reporter announced that production on "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Season 2 was in full swing. But when exactly can we expect to return to Middle-earth? Well, we're not 100% sure — but we do have some relevant info.
Speaking with Collider, Amazon Studios head Vernon Sanders remarked, "It would be amazing if we could get Season 2 out within a year of Season 1's release." This desire for a speedy production ultimately came true: In June 2023, leading fan site Fellowship of Fans reported that Season 2 had wrapped up filming. Unlike many similar projects, "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" wasn't grievously impacted by the WGA strike. The production also endured an April 2023 electrical fire with very little turmoil to speak of. Of course, the end of filming doesn't mean the end of work — editing, mixing, and other such processes must still take place to get Season 2 into ready-to-debut shape. Still, this means fans could be looking at a release date sooner rather than later.
"The Rings of Power" is so on-track, in fact, that it's already looking forward to the post-Season 2 future. On August 9, Production Weekly, a publication aimed at those in the film and TV industry, listed "The Rings of Power" Season 3 as one of many projects going into production. While that slate of episodes is just a glimmer in the crew's eyes right now, it's nice to know "The Rings of Power" is in it for the long haul.
What is the plot of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2?
What does Season 2 have in store? Well, in May 2023, Morfydd Clark remarked, "[Galadriel is] about to have a life-changing thing happen to her. She's about to become acquainted with Nenya, her ring." Clark also shared that Galadriel will leave some of her brooding tendencies behind in Season 2 — but that doesn't mean Middle-earth will be untroubled. As Ismael Cruz Córdova put it, "We were in a time of relative peace in Season 1 and all that gets shaken up. Now we're dealing with the aftermath of this big evil."
Given that Season 1 ends with Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) revealing himself as Sauron and the creation of Mordor, Season 2 will probably explore the fledgling years of the newly volcanic land. Other probable threads include The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) coming into his own as one of the Istari (that's Tolkien speak for wizard), and the continued forging of the titular rings of power. We might also see increased prominence for the Numenoreans — or we might not. Rumors indicate there's some disagreement happening behind the scenes regarding how much screen time to devote to the Men of Numenor versus the Elves.
Fan site Fellowship of Fans also reports that Rivendell might make its debut in Season 2. This could be connected to a rumored battle scene — Elven warriors in armor have been spotted on set. As Tolkien devotees know, the founding of Rivendell is deeply connected to the Elves' war against Sauron. Whether the haven will merely be mentioned or show up in full remains to be seen.
Who is starring in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2?
We expect most of the original cast to return for Season 2. That means that viewers should anticipate Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Markella Kavenagh, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, Owain Arthur, Sophia Nomvete, and many, many more. However, Sam Hazeldine won't be reprising his role as Adar, the Orc leader. Instead, the role has been recast with Joseph Mawle, best known as Benjen Stark from "Game of Thrones."
As for new actors, we know that legendary character actor Ciarán Hinds will appear in a recurring guest role. You've definitely seen Hinds before, as he's appeared in everything from "Game of Thrones" to "Justice League" to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2." He'll be joined by Rory Kinnear, who's starred in all four Daniel Craig-led "James Bond" films and recently terrified audiences in "Men." Plus, Tanya Moodie, Ben Daniels, Nia Towle, Nicholas Woodeson, Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen "Zates" Atour, and Amelia Kenworthy have joined the cast, alongside fellow newcomers Calam Lynch, Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Selina Lo, Stuart Bowman, Will Keen, Gavi Singh Chera, Kevin Eldon, and William Chubb. However, we don't know who any of these talented folks are playing. We do know that an elf named Círdan will be joining the ensemble — but we don't know who's playing him.
Who are the showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2?
"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" Season 2 will be helmed by returning showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, given that they've already mapped out their entire five-season plan. In all likelihood, the only way for these two creatives to be ousted from the project is if Season 2 sees worse ratings than the first. Until such a time, it's Payne and McKay's show.
As far as news goes, this is kind of a mixed bag. On one hand, having the same artists in charge throughout the entire process leads to a unified, cohesive product. On the other hand, Payne and McKay led "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" in a way that left a significant portion of viewers deeply dissatisfied. Even the kinder reviews admit that the pacing was problematic. Here's hoping things go a little more smoothly on the second go-round.
Who is directing The Rings of Power Season 2?
With J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay acting as showrunners, who will actually be directing the series? Well, it looks like the Middle-earth directing duties will fall to three different creatives. Charlotte Brändström is returning from Season 1 to helm four episodes. In addition to her previous work on "Rings of Power," she's also worked on series such as "The Witcher," "The Man in the High Castle," "Outlander," and "Madam Secretary."
The remaining four episodes will be divvied up by Sanaa Hamri and Louise Hooper. Hamri has worked on some pretty big shows, such as "The Wheel of Time," "American Horror Stories," "Shameless," and "Glee," to say nothing of her music video work with stars like Zendaya and Mariah Carey. As for Hooper, she's worked her magic on shows such as "The Witcher," "Treason," and "The Sandman." In other words, all these talents have helmed some high-profile fantasy shows, and we're sure they'll bring that same energy to Middle-earth.
What will The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 be rated?
Season 1 of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is rated TV-14 for "violence, frightening scenes, and alcohol use which means some content may not be suitable for kids under 14," so it's safe to assume that Season 2 will be more of the same. This isn't "House of the Dragon," folks. No one is getting eaten alive or pleasuring themselves out a tower window or keeping marriage "in the family." Unlike HBO's fantasy series, Amazon's fantasy is sitting snugly within territory designed for a larger audience.
That being said, "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is not to be watched without some caution. Death is prevalent and visible onscreen. Halbrand nearly dashes a man's brains against a stone wall. Mordor is created in an all-consuming explosion. Friendship and magic aside, this is a story of war, and that's a heavy subject, no matter the narrative framing.
Where to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1
"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is available to stream exclusively through Amazon Prime Video, so for anyone who's interested in binging (or watching within a logical and healthy time frame) Season 1 over and over while waiting for Season 2, that's the site. Of course, it's also probably loaded onto TikTok in 200 three-minute increments stitched atop some endless runner game or otherwise attached to the weirdest arts and craft video imaginable. Is that too niche? It feels like a universal experience.
As for any legitimate alternative to Amazon Prime Video, there's no sign that "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" will become a shared production ... ever, really. Amazon spent way too much money — a hilarious number, frankly — on the rights to Tolkien's work, so playing hot potato with the completed episodes is probably the farthest thing from the docket.