Season 2 of The Rings of Power is on its Way, and Season 3 Might Be Right Behind
The Lord of the Rings prequel has survived the streaming slaughterhouse.
Recent developments surrounding Amazon’s Lord of the Rings prequel series, The Rings of Power, have been mixed. While its inaugural season did well for the streamer, its second had to deal with behind-the-scenes tumult. It was one of a handful of shows that filmed during the WGA strike, so showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay were forbidden from engaging “in any writing-based duties” at the time. That could have serious consequences for The Rings of Power’s upcoming season, especially since production wrapped months before the strike was resolved.
Will Rings of Power Season 2 live up to the quality (narrative or otherwise) of Season 1? And are future seasons of the series still in the works?
Amazon has put a lot of faith in The Rings of Power. If it adheres to its ambitious five-season plan, the studio is projected to spend at least a billion dollars on the series, a lot of money at a time when streamers are quick to abandon expensive shows.
That budget won’t go to waste, as The Rings of Power is one of the most intricately-made shows streaming today. It’s also one of Amazon’s most successful: Season 1 placed among the Top 4 of Nielsen’s streaming chart each week, and it ended its eight-episode run as Amazon’s most-watched original series. Season 2 will likely follow in its footsteps, and with the Rings of Power showrunners inking an exclusive deal with Amazon MGM Studios, this could only be the beginning of a larger franchise.
JD Payne and Patrick McKay are setting up shop at Amazon MGM.
JD Payne and Patrick McKay have signed a three-year deal with Amazon, granting the studio exclusive rights to anything the duo creates in that time. Payne and McKay have also launched their own production company, 10:40 PM Productions. Whether they’ll be developing other projects set in Middle-Earth remains to be seen. But with Warner Bros. and Embracer developing new films based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, it makes sense for Amazon to bulk out its own Tolkien-verse as soon as possible.
“We began this remarkable journey with JD and Patrick more than five and a half years ago and have never looked back,” said Vernon Sanders, Amazon MGM’s head of television, in a recent statement. “Naturally, the studio is thrilled to extend our overall deal with these brilliant creative minds as they continue to deliver on their passion for great storytelling.”
Season 2 of The Rings of Power is set to debut sometime in 2024. A third season hasn’t been officially ordered yet, but Payne and McKay have reportedly started developing its initial story.
“We can’t wait for Prime Video customers to experience the epic adventure and high-stakes drama that JD and Patrick are continuing to build throughout Season 2 and beyond,” Sanders said.
The Rings of Power Season 2 is nearly here, with a third season in the very early stages of development.
There’s still a long road ahead, but The Rings of Power isn’t going anywhere. Its first season set up a world chock full of possibilities, one that engaged with both lifelong fans and total novices. Though it does take a few liberties with Tolkien canon, Payne and McKay have a clear love for the source material, making them strong stewards of Tolkien’s legacy. Let’s just hope that love was enough to overcome any production problems Season 2 encountered.
With two rival franchises looming on the horizon, Lord of the Rings fans will soon be spoiled for choice. But Amazon’s fledgling Tolkien-verse might have the edge, as long as it treats the source material with the reverence it deserves.
