Amazon’s Epic Action Fantasy Adaptation Lands Exciting Season 3 Update

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is officially on the way, as Amazon has revealed an exciting production update for the Prime Video series. The series may have suffered from lower viewership in Season 2, but that streamer is still moving forward with the big-budget adaptation.

Amazon announced that filming has begun for The Rings of Power Season 3 in the United Kingdom. Three new cast members have also been revealed: Andrew Richardson (Extrapolations), Zubin Varla (Our Girl) and Adam Young (Masters of the Air). They join previously announced Season additions Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things) and Eddie Marsan (Sherlock). Although Amazon has reportedly been taking another look at their big-budget streaming franchises, which included canceling Wheel of Time, it appears the Rings of Power is safe for at least one more batch of episodes.

Rings of Power showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne return to write and produce Season 3. The new additions to the series join a stacked cast featuring Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Trystan Gravelle, Maxim Baldry, Robert Aramayo, Benjamin Walker, Sophia Nomvete, Owain Arthur, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Tyroe Muhafidin, Lloyd Owen, Rory Kinnear and Tanya Moodie. The upcoming season will follow Sauron’s quest to create the One Ring to allow him to rule Middle-earth once and for all. Check out the plot synopsis for the Rings of Power Season 3:

Jumping forward several years from the events of Season 2, Season 3 takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.

Amazon Reevaluates Its Big-Budget TV Slate (And Axes the Best Show)

Amazon has been taking a look at its Prime Video slate recently, especially their big-budget television productions like Wheel of Time, Citadel, and Rings of Power. While The Wheel of Time managed to impress critics and audiences alike with a much-improved third season, Amazon proceeded to unceremoniously cancel it. Citadel Season 2 is still on its way, but the troubled production and canceled spin-off could mean it won’t live on afterward. Now, the fear is that the Rings of Power will get glowing reviews for Season 3, but fail to impress the streamer enough to greenlight two more seasons.

Since its inception, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been envisioned as a five-season endeavor. It appears Amazon is still committed to completing the original vision for the series, but the middling ratings for the second season may motivate them to move the story along quicker than anticipated. If Season 3 does not live up to expectations, there is a chance Amazon will simply cancel the series, or greenlight a smaller Season 4 to finish up the storyline. After all, the epic fantasy series is building up to one big battle for Middle-earth, which will likely cost more than the past few seasons to produce.