The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is coming soon – and I have some news for you about it.
When it comes to some of the best fantasy shows of the last few years, a few instantly pop up, from House of the Dragon, receiving Season 2 in 2024, to The Witcher on Netflix (despite its re-cast of Geralt). However, one that became quite big in 2022 was The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon, and wouldn’t you know, it received a Season 2.
However, with such an epic and long tale that is The Lord of the Rings franchise, there is so much more story to tell, and for fans of the show, they might be wondering when we get to see that story again. Here is what we know about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2.
What Is The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2 Premiere Date?
At the time of updating this in May 2024, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released on August 29, 2024. That means that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be on our 2024 TV premiere schedule. I’m so ready.
Head Back Into Middle-Earth With The Teaser Trailer For The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2
After years of waiting, the first teaser trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 has dropped! We get our first look at the story that is bound to come and the battles we will get to see – as well as a new look at Sauron. Check it out above.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Cast
With the official teaser for the show dropping, we know plenty of cast members who are officially coming back for Season 2 of the show. Here is who you can expect in Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
Morfydd Clark plays Galadriel, a known character from The Lord of the Rings franchise and the main Elven warrior that we follow in the new series. Clark has appeared in the great A24 horror film, Saint Maud, as well as several other films.
Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows
Lenny Henry plays Sadow Burrows, a Harfoot elder and another one of the main characters that we follow in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Henry hosted the Lenny Henry Show in the 80s, and appeared on shows like Chef! and The Magicians.
Sara Zwangobani as Marigold Brandyfoot
Sara Zwangobani plays Marigold Brandyfoot, and she has appeared in All Saints, Disgrace, Doctor Doctor and more.
Dylan Smith as Largo Brandyfoot
Dylan Smith plays Largo Brandyfoot, and the actor has appeared in I Am The Night, Maze Runner: The Death Cure and various other projects.
Markella Kavenagh as Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot
Markella Kavenagh plays Elanor “Nori” Brandyfoot, and is a younger actress who came to fame from her role in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
Megan Richards plays Poppy Proudfellow, an actress that has appeard in shows such as Wanderlust, Doctors and more.
Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad
Benjamin Walker plays Gil-galad, the High King of the Elves, and the actor has appeared in movies like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, In the Heart of the Sea and more.
Sam Hazeldine as Adar
For fans who have seen the whole show, you might remember one of the main antagonists, the Orc leader, Adar. But, the news is that he’s going to look a little different when Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power comes around.
According to a press release from Amazon, it’s been confirmed that Sam Hazeldine is set to take on the role of Adar, replacing Joseph Mawle.
Hazeldine has done plenty in the industry, including having roles in shows like Peaky Blinders and Slow Horses, and was even in The Sandman, another fantasy series. He was even in the Ridley Scott movie, The Last Duel, so he has plenty of work to back his talent. I, for one, can’t wait to see what he does with this role.
This isn’t even the entire cast, so be sure to check out our The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cast list to see who else appeared in the first season.
Several New Cast Members Have Signed On
Amazon has confirmed that several new actors have joined The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, further expanding the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. While we’re not sure who the characters are going to be, we do know who the actors are:
- Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour
- Ben Daniels
- Gabriel Akuwudike
- Amelia Kenworthy
- Nia Towle
- Nicholas Woodeson
- Ciarán Hinds
- Rory Kinnear
- Tanya Moodie
- Oliver Alvin-Wilson
- Stuart Bowman
- Gavi Singh Chera
- William Chubb
- Kevin Eldon
- Will Keen
- Selina Lo
- Calam Lynch
As of May 2024, their character names are unknown, but I’m sure we’ll get more details as we get closer to the release of the show.
Season 2 Will Focus On Sauron And His Backstory
You’re not a Lord of the Rings fan if you don’t know who Sauron is, and in Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, it looks like we’re going to be getting a little bit of backstory on this crazy antagonist.
The official synopsis of Season 2 confirmed that Sauron has returned, and that Season 2 will follow the Dark Lord as he tries to rebuild his army and create the titular Rings of Power, which will “allow him to bind all the people of Middle-earth” to do what he wants.
It was already confirmed that Season 2 of the show would focus on Sauron’s backstory. In an interview that was done with Empire in October 2022, the main cast answered some burning questions about the show and teased a little bit of what’s to come in the second season. Charlie Vickers, who plays Sauron in the show, said that part of what he’s shot is reminiscent of Galadriel at the very beginning of Season 1, and will reveal a bit of Sauron’s backstory:
You know how we see Galadriel at the start of Season 1? Part of the sequence that I've shot is the early story of Sauron in the next season, and that's the shot, but I'm not gonna go into specifics.
For those who don’t recall, at the very beginning of Season 1, Galadriel was searching for Sauron in remembrance of her brother who had died fighting the villain, and discovered Sauron’s mark on an abandoned fortress, which starts off this whole entire series, so I’m really excited to see what will come next.
This was even further discussed by an interview that the showrunners, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, did with The Hollywood Reporter in October 2022. They stated that Season 2 would dig deeper into who Sauron is, and that he would almost be like an anti-hero, such as Walter White from Breaking Bad, going on to add…
He’s evil, but complexly evil. We felt like if we did that in season one, he’d overshadow everything else. So the first season is like Batman Begins, and the The Dark Knight is the next movie, with Sauron maneuvering out in the open. We’re really excited. Season two has a canonical story. There may well be viewers who are like, ‘This is the story we were hoping to get in season one!’ In season two, we’re giving it to them.
Can Season 2 just get here already?
Season 2 Will Be “Edgier”
While Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power really began a new story and started to develop a lot of world building, Season 2 is taking a dive into the darker side. Charlotte Brändström, a director for the series who has worked on several episodes in Season 2,spoke with MovieZine about the upcoming second season, and how it’s going to be “edgier and more character-driven” than the first season:
What I know and what I can say for a fact is that it's going to be darker, and it's going to be edgier and more character driven. I still think that we have some very interesting episodes coming up. I watched all of them over Christmas, just the cuts. I think it's going to be a very good season. We tried to make it more gritty, a little bit more dirty I guess. And not in the image, but to make it as authentic as possible. We have some very surprising twists and turns in it as well.
Sign me up, I’m so excited.
J.D. Payne And Patrick McKay Will Continue To Act As Showrunners
Unsurprisingly, it’s been confirmed that both J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are returning as co-showrunners for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power with the press release. The two brought the story to life for the first season and now, they are back to do it a second time.
What are you the most excited about when it comes to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2? August 2024 can’t come soon enough.
