Today, in San Diego Comic-Con’s iconic Hall H, over 6,500 fans were transported back to Middle-earth as Prime Video showcased the highly anticipated third season of the epic fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were joined by several of the show’s cast for a fun and insightful conversation moderated by High King Gil-galad himself, series star Benjamin Walker. The panel not only debuted a thrilling new teaser trailer, but revealed highlights from the new season.
Cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Daniel Weyman, and Season Three newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower, all participated in the panel, which was jam-packed with exclusive news, including the brand new trailer that unveiled the darker tone and some epic moments from Season Three, as Sauron’s quest to forge the One Ring is fully underway, and his goal to control all of Middle-earth threatens every one of its realms, causing new, and sometimes uneasy alliances to be formed to try and stop him.
There were several exciting Season Three character reveals for previously announced actors throughout the panel. They join two other characters that were revealed earlier this week – Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things) as Galadriel’s long-lost husband, “Celeborn,” and Zubin Varla (Andor) who plays “Khamûl the Easterling,” of Rhûn.
Revealed was Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) portraying King Durin IV’s older brother, “Thrain”, Andrew Richardson (Guys & Dolls) playing Elendil’s younger son and Isildur’s brother, “Anarion” and Adam Young (Don’t Breathe 2) as “Marnûkh,” a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems.
A special in-room only featurette titled “Bringing Season Three’s Creatures to Life” showed highlights of several creatures that will be seen this season, including Fell-beasts, the war elephants known as Mûmakil, Orcs, and the return of the fiery Balrog, who for the first time ever will speak – and that voice is revealed to be none other than acclaimed actor Simon Pegg (The Cornetto Trilogy, Mission Impossible, Star Trek).
In addition, The Rings of Power’s Hall H panel was interrupted midway by a surprise appearance of four menacing Nazgnagôl in full armor, who were awaiting Sauron’s command. Introduced this season, these entities are ring-servants of Sauron and are the earlier Second Age incarnation of the Nazgûl, also known as Ringwraiths, of the Third Age.
The first four episodes of Season Three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere on November 11, 2026. Episodes 305 & 306 will be available to stream on November 18th, and the final two episodes of the season will be released on November 25th.
In Season Three, Middle-earth is at war. Five years have passed since the fall of Eregion. Sauron’s armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path. Only a few isolated pockets stand between the Dark Lord and total victory – Khazad-dûm, where the Dwarves are now sealed deep within their mountain halls, and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell, which are protected by their Three Rings. But deep in the land of Mordor, in his newly completed tower of Barad-dûr, the Dark Lord toils day and night, obsessed with harnessing a power that will bring the last of his enemies to their knees: One Ring to rule them all… Now, all the free peoples of Middle-earth – Dwarves, Elves, Men, and Wizards alike – must find a way to come together, in a race against time to prevent Sauron from achieving his goal of utter domination of all life…
The third season of The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and executive producer-director Charlotte Brändström. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. The series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
