When is Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 coming out? Release date, cast and how to watch

The second season of Amazon’s billion dollar Lord of the Rings prequel is out later this month.

Following its debut in 2022, The Rings of Power - which is set in Middle-earth years before Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn and the Fellowship begin their epic quest - has been watched by more than 100 million people around the world.

Season two of The Rings of Power is set to premiere on Prime Video on August 29, with several new cast members joining the show including Scottish actors Stuart Bowman, Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden.

Peter Mullan as King Durin III in the second season on Prime Video's The Rings of Power. | Ross Ferguson / Prime Video

Building on the epic scale of the first series, the show picks up where it left off with the return of Sauron. After being cast out by Galadriel and without allies, he is now rebuilding his strength and overseeing the creation of the Rings of Power which will allow him to bind all of Middle-earth to his will.

Here’s everything you need to know about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two including its release date, cast, and how to watch.

When is Lord of the Rings season 2 coming out?

Season two of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will arrive on Prime Video around the world on Thursday, August 29.

The first three episodes of the series will be released on August 29, with each following episode being released weekly.

How many episodes are there? Episode release schedule

There are 8 episodes of season two of The Rings of Power, with new episodes streaming each Thursday.

The release dates for The Rings of Power are as follows:

• Episodes 1-3: August 29
• Episode 4: September 5
• Episode 5: September 12
• Episode 6: September 19
• Episode 7: September 26
• Episode 8: October 3

The Rings of Power cast: Season 2 additions include Jack Lowden and Peter Mullan

Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo and Charlie Vickers are among returning cast members, with new additions including Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear and Peter Mullan.

Charlie Vickers will return as Sauron, however more than one actor will take on the role - including Scottish star Jack Lowden. | Courtesy of Prime Video

But one of the big reveals for season two of The Rings of Power is that Sauron will be played by multiple actors - including Jack Lowden.

Having recently appeared at Edinburgh International Festival, Lowden will appear in the show as an earlier form of Sauron from after the fall of Morgoth.

Outside of Sauron, new cast members include Tanya Moodie, Ben Daniels and Ciarán Hinds. A number of actors have also been cast in currently undisclosed roles, such as Scottish actor Stuart Bowman.

The cast for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will include:

• Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel
• Robert Aramayo as Elrond
• Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV
• Maxim Baldry as Isildur
• Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
• Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
• Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor
• Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
• Ema Horvath as Eärien
• Markella Kavenagh as Elanor ‘Nori’ Brandyfoot
• Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
• Sophia Nomvete as Princess Disa
• Lloyd Owen as Elendil
• Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
• Charlie Vickers as Sauron
• Leon Wadham as Kemen
• Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
• Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
• Gabriel Akuwudike
• Oliver Alvin-Wilson
• Zates Atour
• Stuart Bowman
• Gavi Singh Chera as Merimac
• William Chubb
• Ben Daniels as Círdan
• Kevin Eldon as Narvi
• Sam Hazeldine as Adar
• Ciarán Hinds
• Will Keen
• Amelia Kenworthy as Mirdania
• Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil
• Selina Lo as Rían
• Calam Lynch as Camnir
• Tanya Moodie as Gundabel
• Nia Towle as Estrid
• Nicholas Woodeson
• Peter Mullan as King Durin III

How can I watch The Rings of Power?

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream exclusively on Prime Video worldwide.

For those hoping to watch the show, they must have a valid Amazon Prime subscription.

Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in season 2 of The Rings of Power. | Ross Ferguson / Prime Video

What is the show about?

The multi-season series will take place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, a period spanning more than 3,000 years. It will cover major events, including the forging of Sauron’s famous rings and the epic battle seen at the prologue of the first Lord of the Rings film.

It’s thousands of years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books and Peter Jackson’s films, which happen in the Third Age. This means many of our beloved Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit characters – including Frodo, Aragorn, Bilbo, Legolas and Gimli – haven’t even been born yet.

Instead, The Rings of Power will cover a tumultuous period during the rise of Sauron, the creation of the Nazgûl and the One Ring while focusing on a young Galadriel.