Amazon said on Monday that "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" season 3 will premiere on Nov. 11, 2026, and it released a new first-look image of Sauron, played by Charlie Vickers, with the announcement. [1, 2, 3]
The series is set in Middle-earth's Second Age, thousands of years before "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." [1, 3] Amazon MGM Studios said season 3 jumps forward several years from season 2 and takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron. [1, 2, 3]
The studio said Sauron will seek to craft the One Ring to gain an edge in the war, bind peoples to his will and rule Middle-earth. [1, 2, 3] Peter Friedlander, head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, said, "From the very beginning, this series has embodied the scale, ambition, and cinematic storytelling that define Prime Video’s biggest global series." [1]
Friedlander also said, "The extraordinary response from millions of fans around the world has made it clear that this journey through Middle-earth continues to resonate, and that momentum has only grown heading into Season Three." [1] Amazon said the show has drawn more than 185 million views worldwide. [3]
The series is produced by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay and by Amazon MGM Studios. [2] Season 3 is scheduled to premiere on Nov. 11, 2026. [1, 2, 3]
