The Rings of Power season 2 isn’t out yet, but Amazon has all but confirmed a third season is on the way
More Middle-earth adventures await
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 doesn’t have a release date yet, butAmazonhas seemingly confirmed that a third installment is in early development.
Yesterday (February 28),The Hollywood Reporter(THR) revealed that, even though Amazon hasn’t officially greenlit a third season, work on the high-fantasyPrime Videoseries' likely next entry has effectively begun. A writers room is yet to be set up, butThe Rings of Power’s showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are believed to be outlining season 3’s initial story. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment further onThe Rings of Powerseason 3 when approached by TechRadar.
Season 2 and 3 are coming! LET’S GOOOOOOO 👏🏼😍🙌🏼🔥💍✨ pic.twitter.com/bUxqNOVHtDFebruary 28, 2024
The confirmation came as part of a wider announcement that Payne and McKay have signed a new three-year deal with Amazon MGM Studios, and that the pair have launched their own company titled 10:40PM Productions. THR’s article also claims thatThe Rings of Powerseason 2will be released later in 2024.
In a statement accompanying the reveal, Amazon’s Head of Television Vernon Sanders said: “We began this remarkable journey with J.D. and Patrick more than five and a half years ago and have never looked back. We continue to be amazed by the scope and scale of their vision and the enormous global success achieved by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in its record-breaking first season.
“We can’t wait for Prime Video customers to experience the epic adventure and high-stakes drama that J.D. and Patrick are continuing to build throughout season two and beyond. Naturally, the studio is thrilled to extend our overall deal with these brilliant creative minds as they continue to deliver on their passion for great storytelling.”
Forging ahead with a huge Prime Video hit
We should have known that season 2 wouldn’t be the show’s final entry. When it premiered on Amazon’s primary streaming platform in September 2022,The Rings of Powerbroke new ground for one of the world’sbest streaming services.
Indeed, its two-episode premiere holds the record as the most-streamed opening for a TV show in Prime Video history. AS THR notes, it’s also the most-watched Amazon TV Original ever (a position originally held byThe Boys) and ranked among the most popular shows on Nielsen’s streaming chart throughout its season 1 run. Clearly, Amazon is bullish about the ongoing success of itsLord of the Ringsprequel series, hence the reported decision to move forward with another installment.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
The Rings of Power’s first season, which we hailed as “a magnificently magical and mystical return to Middle-earth”, wasn’t universally loved by long-time fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary fantasy works (which the Prime Video show is based on), though. Large parts ofThe Lord of the Rings' devote fanbase took exception to how Amazon’s TV adaptation played fast and loose with Middle-earth’s illustrious history, and the fact that it’s a prequel series that’s not officiallycanoninThe Lord of the Ringsuniverse didn’t stop diehards review-bombing it onRotten Tomatoes, with its 38% audience rating suggesting that it’s not viewed as one of thebest Prime Video showsin many people’s eyes.
Given its poor audience reception, it remains to be seen ifThe Rings of Powerwill continue to attract viewers with its second season; it if fails to do so, those season 3 plans might be consigned to the scrap heap before filming even begins. But, with the show’s cast and crew claiming thatThe Rings of Powerwill forge closer ties toThe Lord of the Ringsbooksnext season, a more faithful adaptation might do enough to address Tolkienites' concerns and turn the show’s fortunes around – in which case you can bet on Amazon greenlighting season 3 as soon as possible.
You might also like
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
4 spy shows on Prime Video with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes
Prime Video’s smart new X-Ray feature is finally a good reason to add AI to streaming
Your doctor may have an AI assistant taking notes during your next Zoom call
