Middle Earth will once again take the big screen for season two of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” and this time, villains, specifically J.R.R. Tolkien’s infamous dark lord Sauron, will take the spotlight. On the massive set of “The Rings of Power” in Bray Film Studios near Windsor, right outside of London, showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne shared that season two of the series, which occurs thousands of years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books, is “darker” than the last season, highlighting the villains that continue the central conflicts of Tolkien’s beloved series.
The second season opens with Sauron once again showing his shape-shifting powers. In the first season, shipwrecked human warrior Halbrand, played by Charlie Vickers, was shown as Sauron in disguise, much to the dismay of Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark. According to the showrunners, this season will show how the subsequent dark lord of Mordor uses his manipulation powers to turn characters’ greatest strengths into their greatest weaknesses, gaining influence across Middle Earth. Payne recounted, “You remember in season one how it didn’t end exactly as Sauron would’ve hoped. Galadriel cast him out and he’s left with nothing. She has the three rings. He has no friends, army, allies, weapons, and basically no resources except for his cunning.” While season one focused on the “heroes and setting the table with Galadriel, the dwarves, Numenor, and Southlanders, Payne said the second season will highlight Sauron and the villains.
Payne says viewers will watch as Sauron uses manipulation, deception, coercion, lies, and cunning to start setting the chess pieces in motion, setting groups against each other and using people’s inherent mistrust, trust and fears against them to start to set up situations that will benefit him. New characters and land will also be introduced in the upcoming season, but the season will still mainly focus on the continuing stories of those introduced in season one, including Galadriel, Elrond, Arondier, Prince Durin, Disa, Elendil Lloyd Owen, and Isildur. McKay said, “We saw in season one that Galadriel, who in our estimation is one of the most significant heroes of Middle Earth, her PTSD and pride were a crack that Sauron could get into and manipulate her to get everything he wanted. Now, he’s going to do that with everybody.”
He continued, “What’s going to be happening throughout season two is every single one of these societies and heroes that we set up in season one are now facing serious cracks in the foundation that Sauron can exploit. What we’re hopefully going to start realizing as the season progresses is that this isn’t a story about several different worlds. It’s a story about one world, and Sauron is the spine that connects all of it.”
Expanding the scale and scope of ‘The Rings of Power.’
To bring Middle Earth, stretching from the far reaches of the Southlands to the island kingdom of Numenor, to life, along with its dwarves, elves, orcs, humans, and other creatures, Amazon used an estimated $465 million budget making it the most expensive series ever produced. While season one was epic in both production and scale, season two expands on those strengths, as shown, for example, by the series’ signature action scenes, according to showrunners. In keeping with the “Rings of Power” tradition, season two will feature epic battle scenes, which Ben Cooke, the series’ supervising stunt coordinator, said are “ramped up” this season.
He said most of the actors perform their own stunts, emphasizing horseback riding, elaborate fight scenes, and intricate wire sequences. He said Clark has become a skilled horsewoman as she continues to embody Galadriel. Scenes are shot in different locations, from open fields to dense forests, each requiring meticulous execution and planning. He said with a laugh, “The only thing we haven’t done is cars, but cars and motorcycles don’t really work in this genre.” Season one was filmed in New Zealand, but season two was recorded at Windsor Crown Estate Land in England. Finley Bradbury, the supervising location manager for the U.K., shared how logistics and design came together to create a visually stunning and functional set. He said, “We had drawings from New Zealand to start with, which gave our construction team something to sink their teeth into right away.”
He continued, “All the gold panels, doors, and detailed handles were shipped over, but the floors, walls, and plasterwork were rebuilt here.” Several props, including over 90 versions of the rings of power, wigs, and costumes, were also made specifically for season two. Creators paid close attention to the details of Middle Earth. For example, for the orcs,1,500 pairs of silicon ears were made, along with foam appliances, hand-painted prosthetics, and bespoke lenses and teeth.
What’s next for key characters?
In addition to storylines of protagonists, including Galadriel and Sauron, other fan favorites, including Durin IV, will be further explored in this upcoming season. Owain Arthur, who plays Durin IV in “The Rings of Power,” told reporters that this season will continue to explore the marriage between Durin and his wife, Disa, and highlight a more intimate view of the dwarven society, emphasizing both its domesticity and grandeur. Arthur said, “We’re going to see a lot more of the culture of the dwarves in season two. You’ll see more of Durin and Disa living their lives, but in a slightly different way,” adding that Disa will again serve as a “pillar” for her husband, a dynamic particularly emotional as turmoil in season two.
He also reflected on the bond between Durin and the elf Elrond, a standout part of the first season that resonated with audiences for its genuine portrayal of male friendship. Arthur said, “I was shocked how people picked up on that. We’d worked together quite a lot, actually, and therefore carried a lot of emotions and a lot of history through with us on set. But for that to be picked up by people was a shock, a pleasant shock.” However, while misery, horribleness, and darkness are all parts of Middle Earth, so are heroism and hope, which are also central themes of season two, according to showrunners. Tolkien, a devout Christian, sought to portray darkness and evil as critical elements that helped mold the thematic and moral framework of his stories.
Payne said, “All across the map, even though there’s great darkness, there are also heroes that are there as well. In the end, it will be hopeful.” Season two of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will debut on Prime Video on Aug. 29.
