Two years after debuting its critically acclaimed first season, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is back.
The second season of the LOTR sequel series premieres on Aug. 29 on Prime Video and stars Morfydd Clark as young Galadriel, Charlie Vickers as Sauron, Daniel Weyman as the Stranger, Benjamin Walker as the Elven High King Gil-Galad, Robert Aramayo as young Elrond, Charles Edwards as the Elven prince Celebrimbor, Owain Arthur as the Dwarven prince Durin IV and Maxim Baldry as Isildur.
At a Glance: How to Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Online
- Premiere Date: Aug. 29
- No. of Episodes: 8
- Stream Online: Prime Video
Adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series, The Rings of Power was created by Patrick McKay and John Payne and is set in the Second Age — thousands of years before the events in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings — and brings new and familiar characters to the small screen.
As Amazon only bought the screen rights to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and the novels’ appendices, The Rings of Power explores the events of the Second and Third Ages, including the forging of the Rings of Power and the Last Alliances of Elves and Men. (Jackson’s trilogy took place in the Third Age.)
Ahead, find out everything you need to know about how to watch the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power prequel series (including for free), the season two episode release schedule, where to stream all of Peter Jackson’s films and where to shop some of the best LOTR merch.
How to Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Online
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two premieres with the first three episodes on Thursday, Aug. 29 at midnight PT exclusively on Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service. The eight-part series will release new episodes weekly and the finale will be available to stream on Oct. 3.
A membership to Amazon Prime ($139 annually or $14.99 monthly) or the stand-alone Prime Video service ($8.99 monthly) is required to watch The Rings of Power. New subscribers can watch the LOTR prequel series for free with a 30-day free trial to Amazon Prime or Prime Video.
In addition to Prime Video and Prime Music access, subscribers of Amazon Prime get year-round perks including free one- and two-day shipping, same-day delivery, free two-hour delivery on Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Market groceries, exclusive deals and sale events (such as Prime Day), Prime Try Before You Buy and personal shopping services, personalized deals on online doorbusters, unlimited photo storage on Amazon Drive and more. Amazon Prime store cardholders also receive 5 percent cash back on purchases.
Members of Prime and Prime Video also get exclusive access to Thursday Night Football and Amazon Studios original series, including Emmy-winning shows such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Lucy and Desi, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, The Boys and more.
How to Watch All of the Lord of the Rings Films Online: Movie Order, Where to Stream
Need a refresher on Middle-earth? The best order to watch all the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies isn’t necessarily by their release dates. If you’re catching up on the high fantasy franchise for the first time, here’s every LOTR live-action movie to watch in chronological order:
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003): Apple TV, Max, Prime Video
Bonus points if you watch the earlier animated films, The Hobbit (1977), The Lord of the Rings (1978) and The Return of the King (1980).
All of the LOTR live-action films are available to stream for free with subscriptions to Prime Video, Amazon Prime and Max. You can also buy or rent the original and extended editions and the animated movies (1977 to 1980) on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.
Max subscriptions cost $9.99 per month with ads or $16.99 to $20.99 monthly without ads. You’ll get the best deal on Max with the annual packages for $99.99 to $209.99 per year, a savings of 17 percent. Learn more here.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 Synopsis
Season two of The Rings of Power picks up after Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) reveals himself to be Sauron. Per the logline, “Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will.”
The series’ “most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.”
The Best Lord of the Rings Book Sets and More to Shop Online
For those who prefer page-turning over binge-watching, we’ve rounded up some of the coolest editions of the Lord of the Rings novels, as well as companion books and other merch for fans (or those buying gifts for one). Check out our top picks below.