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The Rings of Power season 3 has got an official release date – and it's not too far away. The fantasy hit will be returning later in 2026 as it features a time jump taking the action straight into the War of the Elves and Sauron. And speaking of the Dark Lord, based on the first-look image, he's made some big changes too as his Annatar disguise is long gone.
For everything we know so far on this as well as what the official plot reveals about the third season, read on for our complete guide to season 3. Below we get into details about the new cast joining the show (including Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower) as well as our best guess at when a new trailer could arrive.
The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation
The Rings of Power season 3 begins on November 11, 2026.
It's not been confirmed yet how many episodes will arrive on that date but the show will likely follow a weekly release schedule.
This is a slightly sorter wait than we expected too as production has sped up compared to previous seasons. The show wrapped filming in December 2025, meaning it's hitting screens in 11 months rather than the 20 months it took for season 2.
The Rings of Power season 3 plot
The Rings of Power season 3 has an official synopsis, but it doesn't reveal much. This reads: "Jumping forward several years from the events of season two, season three takes 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."
This isn't entirely surprising given where the season 2 finale ended things off. As we saw, Sauron is now at his greatest power yet, having taken possession of the Nine Rings for Men as well as bringing the Orc army under his wing.
After his confrontation with Galadriel, we see him standing with Fëanor’s hammer in Annatar form, setting up his forging of the One Ring. In J.R.R. Tolkien's works, Sauron forges this in the flames of Mordor. From the first look image below we know that this is what he's up too as he's pictured with the Iron Crown. However, he won't be in Annatar form anymore as he's sporting some Halbrand-style brown locks.
He'll face opposition from the rest of Middle-earth, no doubt. The Elves are bruised and battered following the Siege of Eregion, with severely depleted numbers. However, even with Galadriel recovering from her near death experience, she decides along with Elrond and Gil-galad that they will fight to defeat the Dark Lord. We expect the third season will see them rallying their ranks.
They'll have a new ally though, who has just learned his name: Gandalf. Yes, the Stranger was the famous wizard after all. He now knows his name, has his staff, and is set on his path to clash with both the Dark Wizard and with Sauron. It's not yet clear whether the Harfoots will be part of this, as they head off on their own way at the end of the season, but let's hope it's not the last we see of them.
Elsewhere, things are not looking good. In Khazad-dûm, the Dwarves are in mourning after the death of King Durin and are also dealing with the fact they've awoken the Balrog under the mountain.
Numenór is in disarray with Pharazon declaring supporters of Miriel as traitors and sending Elendil fleeing with a very familiar sword (read more about Narsil here). It's not much better for the other humans either, many of whom (including Isildur) are leaving the Southlands for Numenor.
In terms of where we leave season 2 on the Lord of the Rings timeline, we're nearing the halfway point of the Second Age. Looking at what to expect next from Tolkien’s books, we'll likely see the creation of Rivendell in the wake of Eregion's fall, but there is a big gap in the timeline between that and the next big event: the first sighting of the Nazghûl. It seems pretty clear that The Rings of Power will look to fill in the gaps of the men given the rings in season 3.
GamesRadar+ also has some exclusive insight about what could happen next from the cast themselves. Sauron star Charlie Vickers teased the future for Galadriel and his character into season 3 and beyond.
"I think there's definitely going to still be a presence. I think it was a confrontation. But I think, as you see in The Lord of the Rings books, he is still present in her mind," Vickers says. "And I think as long as this show continues, they are the forces of good and evil. And I think that connection will endure for the show. It's not all over yet." He also added of Sauron, "This is only the beginning for him. I think that's the exciting part."
The Rings of Power season 3 cast
Although there were some big casualties (RIP Adar, King Durin and Celebrimbor) in The Rings of Power season 2, we're expecting most of the major cast to return for a third season.
There will also likely be plenty of new characters joining as well. A whole host of new faces, including Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan, are set to join the line-up. Who they're playing is a mystery for now, but Bower has posted an intriguing tease.
Here's who we're expecting to star in The Rings of Power season 3:
- Charlie Vickers as Sauron
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad
- Daniel Weyman as Gandalf
- Sophia Nomvete as Disa
- Owain Arthur as Durin IV
- Kevin Eldon as Narvi
- Lloyd Owen as Elendil
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Markella Kavenagh as Elanor "Nori" Brandyfoot
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Ciarán Hinds as the Dark Wizard
- Ema Horvath as Eärien
- Leon Wadham as Kemen
- Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil
- Jamie Campbell Bower as TBC
- Eddie Marsan as TBC
- Andrew Richardson as TBC
- Adam Young as TBC
- Zubin Varla as TBC
Is there a Rings of Power season 3 trailer?
There's been no trailer for The Rings of Power season 3 released so far but, with the crew having downed cameras back in December 2025, some first-look footage seems imminent. Watch this space as we'll keep you up to date with any news we get.
For more on Tolkien, read our guide on the Lord of the Rings timeline.
