The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Is Now Streaming (Slightly Early) On Prime Video

The magic of the elves bestows gifts upon you, mortal. Prime Video has released the first two episodes of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," earlier than expected. Though the release date is listed as Friday, September 2, 2022 (the anniversary of the passing of author J.R.R. Tolkien), Prime Video often drops their newest offerings a little early. We lucky fans are getting a bit of a speed boost in our journey to Middle-earth. 

The series is set in the Second Age, thousands of years before the events of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, though we'll see some familiar characters like Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, played by Cate Blanchett in the film trilogy) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo, played earlier by Hugo Weaving). This is so long ago that the Hobbits as we know them aren't in existence yet. Instead, we'll see their predecessors, the proto-Hobbits. 

This series will tell the story of how the rings of power were forged in the first place, as well as the one ring to rule them all. As we know from the original film trilogy, based on the works of Tolkien, the evil Sauron (in his guise as Annatar) manipulates the Elven smith Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) into forging them, setting off an evil that will resurface in the Third Age, when a certain creature finds the One Ring. 

To rule them all

Whatever the series has in store for us, the trailers and images are stunning, from the costume creation to the New Zealand landscape. It should be incredible with a single season price tag of around $465 million. Plus, we're getting to see Khazad-dûm, before the destruction, which is something I'm beyond excited about. Here is the synopsis for the new series:

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.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" stars Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.

Are you ready for your journey into Middle-earth? Future episodes of the series will air weekly on Fridays, on Prime Video.