Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power spoilers follow.
The Rings of Power's first season finished in fine fashion. Let's just say the finale fit a lot in, unmasking Sauron and revealing Gandalf – yet they still found the time to make some fancy jewellery to save the elven race.
Of course, these rings are more than just pretty things. In fact, they play a huge part in Tolkien lore but there's plenty to contend with before they get that far.
With Sauron back and his eyes set on Middle-earth, there is most certainly a storm brewing but when will we get the answers to the cliffhangers showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne laid out for us?
Here's everything we know about The Rings of Power season two.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 potential release date – When's it on?
Fans of The Rings of Power can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Their favourite fantasy series has already been renewed for a second season. In even better news, production has already begun.
The cast and crew went back to work in early October 2022, however while that means that things are ticking along nicely, it could still be a while before a second season lands.
Season one took 18 months to film and while that was in part likely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there's no denying that the high production values would have played their own part.
That's understandable. The show is simply gorgeous and that takes extensive work, which, according to the head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke, they are not willing to rush.
Salke told Variety: "We want the shortest time possible between seasons, but we want to keep the bar just as high. So it'll take what it takes but there's been some urgency around moving quickly, which is why these guys have been writing all through their hiatus."
That had led us to think that we'd see the second season around the same time of year as we saw the first, but it appears not. Speaking to Collider, Amazon Studios' head of television Vernon Sanders implied that it might be optimistic to expect season two in 2023.
"I don’t know that I can say," he said. "It would be amazing if we could get season two out within a year of season one’s release. It may take a smidge longer than that, but we're doing everything we can, and we're going to get better and faster as we go."
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 cast – Who will be coming back?
Halbrand, you slippery eel. Many speculated that the king of the Southlands was actually Sauron in disguise and now that we have confirmation there is no way that Charlie Vickers won't return to the role.
Elves die hard and as long as there's breath in her we expect the return of Morfydd Clark as Galadriel. She’s got a lot of avenging to do and will certainly make Sauron pay for deceiving and manipulating her.
No one could forget The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) aka 'the Meteor Man' or should we say freaking GANDALF. Because let's face it the 'wizard' they allude to in the finale is surely Gandalf the Grey. We will definitely need more from him.
Isildur and his dad Elendil play a huge part in the story as relayed in the flashback scenes in The Lord of the Rings films, which makes it pretty likely that Maxim Baldry and Lloyd Owen will reprise those roles again.
As we delve further into the second age plenty is brewing. The last alliance of elves and men, united against Sauron, is coming and so we expect the following to return:
The Elves
• Robert Aramayo as Elrond
• Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
• Charles Edwards as Lord Celebrimbor
• Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
The Dwarves
• Owain Arthur as Prince Durin
• Sophia Nomvete as Princess Disa
• Peter Mullan as King Durin III
The Southlanders
• Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
• Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
• Geoff Morrell as Waldreg
The Númenoreans
• Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel, Queen Regent of Númenor
• Lloyd Owen as Captain Elendil
• Ema Horvath as Eärien
• Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
• Alex Tarrant as Valandil
The Harfoots
The fate of the Harfoots is up in the air given that Nori (Markella Kavenagh) has separated from the trail to join Istar, Gandalf, The Stranger (what are we calling him?) on his quest to Rhûn. She'll be back.
While we definitely won’t be seeing Lenny Henry return to the role of Sadoc Burrows (the poor fellow was killed), the following Harfoots may return:
• Dylan Smith as Largo Brandyfoot
• Sara Zwangobani as Marigold Brandyfoot
• Beau Cassidy as Dilly Brandyfoot
• Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
• Thusitha Jayasundera as Malva
As well as the faces of old, it has also been confirmed that plenty of new characters will also be joining the Rings of Power crew.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Círdan, one of the oldest elves in Middle-earth, is set to join season two. The role has yet to be cast but the character should make an exciting addition given that this is the first live-action appearance Círdan will have had.
That's not all though. On December 1, 2022, Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television, Vernon Sanders, revealed that lots of new faces will be joining this already expansive cast in season two.
The Witcher's Yasen 'Yates' Atourwill be joined by Ridley Road's Gabriel Akuwudike, The Crown's Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Persuasion's Nia Towle and Skyfall's Nicholas Woodeson.
Peaky Blinders star Sam Hazeldine has also been cast, but not in a new role. He'll be replacing Joseph Mawle as the Orc leader Adar for reasons currently unknown.
A week later, more additions to the cast were revealed, including Bridgerton's Calam Lynch and The Pact's Stuart Bowman. The mammoth announcement also revealed that the following actors will also be making their Middle-Earth debut in season two as well:
• The Bay's Oliver Alvin-Wilson
• The Undeclared War's Gavi Singh Chera
• The Sandman's William Chubb
• Game of Thrones' Kevin Eldon
• The Crown's Will Keen
• Hellraiser's Selina Lo.
Essentially, a whole army is joining the cast for season two.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 plot – What will happen?
We are expecting big things from season two. Right now Nori and ‘The Stranger’ have journeyed to Rhûn in search of answers to his true identity. Like we don't know.
Their adventure is bound to introduce new faces into the franchise. Most certainly a conflict with Sauron is on the horizon but first, renegade daylight Uruk Adar will have his hands full with this foe.
Sauron has arrived at Mordor, and if we remember when last we were there Adar and his orc companions were living it up having just conquered and ejected the Southlanders. Those they didn’t maim or burn to death in Mount Doom's unrelenting fire. Sauron talked to Galadriel of ruling Middle-earth and where better a place to start than Mordor?
Speaking of Galadriel, she has been left reeling from the news of Halbrand's true identity. She had confided in him, trusted him and he manipulated and used her. If she despised him before there is no word for how she feels towards him now.
Her hunt for Sauron's blood will no doubt continue in the most brutal of fashions.
The finale saw Galadriel, Elrond and Celebrimbor forge three rings from their only scrap of mithril in their desperate attempt to save the elven community. In Tolkien lore one will eventually find its way to Gandalf but that is a long time coming. First he has to figure out who he is!
Whatever happens, executive producer Lindsey Weber has said the show's sunny tone will shift and be "a little scarier" the next time around now that Halbrand has been unmasked as Sauron.
"Season two is fundamentally different in that our main villain is out and about, and doing his thing," she told Deadline. "I think in some ways, it's going to grittier, more intense, maybe a little scarier."
She added: "I also think in the beginning of season one, there's just so much that's new, and you have to see how your actors are going to do, and how the material is going to feel, and how the balance of it works.
"Going into season two, we have the benefit of having built these relationships, both the relationships of the characters and the relationships of the actual human cast, and we're the incredible beneficiaries of that thing and being this much further down the road."
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 trailer – When can I watch it?
We're not going to get anything in the way of a trailer just yet. Sorry, but we'll be the first to let you know when that changes. Until then, feel free to thoroughly indulge in the glorious season one trailer above.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one is available to watch on Prime Video in the UK.
