“The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” Season 3 will debut on Prime Video Nov. 11, Amazon announced during its upfront presentation to advertisers on Monday.
Season 3, which jumps forward several years from the events of Season 2, will take place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war, bind all peoples to his will – and at last rule all Middle-earth.
The fantasy series, which is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, is one of Amazon’s strongest drivers for new Prime membership sign-ups and one of Prime Video’s highest performing and most-viewed titles ever, attracting over 185 million viewers worldwide.
Through their respective 91-day post premiere launch windows, Season 1 remains the biggest TV series premiere in the history of Prime Video, while Season 2 is among the top five most-watched returning seasons ever.
“From the very beginning, this series has embodied the scale, ambition, and cinematic storytelling that define Prime Video’s biggest global series,” Amazon MGM Studios’ Global Television Head Peter Friedlander said in a statement. “The extraordinary response from millions of fans around the world has made it clear
that this journey through Middle-earth continues to resonate, and that momentum has only grown heading into Season Three.”
The series is executive produced by showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay, Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and director Charlotte Brandstrom. Matthew Penry-Davey serves as producer, while Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene and Andrew Lee are co-producers.
In addition to the return of “Rings of Power,” Amazon renewed hit action series “Reacher” for a fifth season, with additional details to be announced a later date.
Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham-led action comedy “Ride or Die” will also debut all eight episodes globally on July 15. The series, which comes from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced by creator Tessa Coates, showrunner Matt Miller and director Peyton Reed.
Additionally, Nia Di Costa was tapped to executive produce and direct the first two episodes of “Sex Criminals,” a series adaptation of the comic of the same name from Amazon, LuckyChap and Winter Coat Films.
Other new projects include Reality Retreat (working title), a new series premiering in 2027 that will bring together 11 of reality television’s most recognizable and talked-about women for a high-stakes wellness retreat designed to challenge their identities, relationships, and personal growth.
The cast includes former Housewives stars Kenya Moore, Margaret Josephs, and Kim Zolciak; reality standouts Christine Quinn, Brittany Cartwright, and Tamar Braxton; Bachelorette fan-favorites Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jenn Tran; mother-daughter duo Julie and Savannah Chrisley; as well as Hilaria Baldwin. Rick Edwars will serve as the concierge of the experience, while Ashley Edelman serves as guru and wellness director.
Brett Goldstein will also write, executive producer and star in “Escorted,” a new romatic comedy that follows a divorced dad in Manhattan who accidentally becomes a male escort. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, with Brian Gallivan (“Shrinking,” “Happy Endings”) serving as executive producer and co-showrunner. Other EPs include Josh Senior (“The Bear”) and Molly Mandel.
The tech giant will also adapt Elsie Silver’s book series “Rose Hill,” which follows best friends and neighbors West Belmont, a rancher with commitment issues, and brooding record label owner Ford Grant, aka Forbes’ “World’s Hottest Billionaire,” who’s long carried a torch for West’s sister, Rosie. When country-pop star Skylar Stone breezes into their rugged mountain town, the heat gets turned way up.
The adaptation is written by showrunner and executive producer Heidi Cole Adams. Other EPs include Marc Webb, who will direct the first two episodes, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, and James Seidman for Temple Hill and Silver. Temple Hill’s Annika Patton will also serve as a co-executive producer.
