The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an American fantasy television series developed by J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay for Amazon Prime Video. It is based on the novel The Lord of the Rings and its appendices by J. R. R. Tolkien.

The series events are set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It is produced by Amazon Studios in association with New Line Cinema, and in consultation with the Tolkien Estate. The series will compress the time of Tolkien's events significantly to achieve its objectives.

Amazon bought the television rights for The Lord of the Rings from the Tolkien Estate in November 2017. A five-season production commitment was made, at a figure of at least $1 billion US dollars. It would be the most expensive television series ever made.

By July 2018 J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were hired. The series was developed primarily based on information regarding the Second Age in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and consultation with Tolkien's grandson Simon Tolkien.

Amazon’s deal with the Tolkien Estate required it not to be a continuation of New Line Cinema’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, but to call them to mind using similar production design, earlier versions of characters from those films, and a main musical theme from Howard Shore who had composed for the trilogies. Bear McCreary composed the series's score.

An international cast was hired and filming of the eight-episodes for the first season was done in New Zealand, February 2020 to August 2021. Future seasons’ production has been moved to the United Kingdom, starting the second season filming October 3, 2022.

It will begin during a time of relative peace and cover all the major events of Middle-earth's Second Age: the forging of the Rings of Power, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the fall of the island kingdom of Númenor, and the last alliance between Elves and Men. These events take place over thousands of years in Tolkien's original stories but are compressed for this series.

• Galadriel: Actress Morfydd Clark - seen first as a warrior believing Evil is returning to Middle-earth, the series will show her journey from warrior to the stateswoman portrayed Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
• Elrond: Actor Robert Aramayo - a half-Elven architect and politician before his founding of Rivendell.
• Gil-galad: Actor Benjamin Walker - High King of the Elves, ruling from the realm of Lindon. He is mentioned in The Lord of the Rings in the poem "The Fall of Gil-galad".
• Arondir: Actor Ismael Cruz Córdova - a Silvan Elf in love with for the human healer Bronwyn, though forbidden. This recalls Tolkien's Beren and Lúthien and Aragorn and Arwen stories.
• Celebrimbor: Actor Charles Edwards - Elven smith and brilliant artisan known throughout Middle-earth who forges the Rings of Power. He is friendly toward the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm.

• Bronwyn: Actress Nazanin Boniadi - an apothecary owner in the Southlands and a healer
• Theo: Actor Tyroe Muhafidin - Bronwyn's son
• Elendil: Actor Lloyd Owen - a Númenórean. Father of Isildur and a sea captain
• Míriel: Actress Cynthia Addai-Robinson - Númenor’s Queen Regent. This island kingdom is ruled by the Men who are descendents pf Elrond's half-Elven brother Elros
• Pharazôn: Actor Trystan Gravelle - an advisor to Queen Regent Míriel
• Isildur: Actor Maxim Baldry - Númenórean sailor.
• Eärien : Actress Ema Horvath - Isildur's sister.
• Kemen: Actor Leon Wadham - Pharazôn's son.

• Durin IV: Actor Owain Arthur - son of Durin III, Prince and heir to the throne at Khazad-dûm. He has a strained relationship with his father, heightened by his desire to expand the wealth of Khazad-dûm by mining the mithril recently discovered.
• Disa: Actor Sophia Nomvete – wife of Durin IV and Princess of Khazad-dûm.

• Sadoc Burrows: Actor Lenny Henry - a Harfoot elder, clan leader and pathfinder.
• Marigold Brandyfoot: Actress Sara Zwangobani - Largo's wife
• Largo Brandyfoot: Actor Dylan Smith - Nori's father
• Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot: Actress Markella Kavenagh - daughter of Largo and stepdaughter of Marigold, Nori has a "yearning for adventure"
• Poppy Proudfellow: Actress Megan Richards - a curious Harfoot and Nori's friend

• The Stranger: Actor Daniel Weyman – apparently one of the Istari, he falls from the sky in a flaming meteor.
• Halbrand/Sauron” Actor Charlie Vickers – at first seen as a man of the Southland, he is Sauron, the Dark Lord disguised, who finally sets in motion the creation of the Three Rings
• Adar: Actor Joseph Mawle - an Uruk, called “Lord Father” by the Orcs, he is one of the first Elves corrupted by Melkor, and leads a sizeable group of Orcs aiding him to take the Southlands as their new home. His name is Sindarin for 'father'.