Showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay helm the series, starring Peter Mullan, Benjamin Walker, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson among a large ensemble cast. Per an official series description, “The Rings of Power” 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 one of the greatest villains that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.”

Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence 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. “They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas…this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle and end,” Payne told Empire magazine. “There are things in the first season that don’t pay off until Season 5. We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be.” Fellow showrunner McKay called “The Rings of Power” the result of being “stewards” to the source material. “The pressure would drive us insane if we didn’t feel like there was a story here that didn’t come from us. It comes from a bigger place,” McKay said. “We trust those ideas so deeply, because they’re not ours. We’re custodians, at best.” Prime Video has already made a five-season commitment to the series. As a teaser captioned, “The journey begins.” Check out the trailer below.

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