The world of Lord of the Rings will continue as a new live-action movie was announced, but it leaves the question of whether it’s connected to Amazon Prime’s Rings of Power TV series.
The new movie was announced by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and is slated for a 2026 release. Produced by Peter Jackson alongside Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the movie will continue the adventures of Middle-earth, with J.R.R. Tolkien’s books as a backbone.
The Lord of the Rings original film trilogy ended in 2003 while The Hobbit prequel movies ended in 2014. Tolkien’s grandiose world was then adapted in the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Amazon Prime Video show takes place years before the events of the books, focusing on the Second Age of Middle-earth. But will it be connected to the new movie?
Is the new Lord of the Rings movie connected to Rings of Power?
The Rings of Power was created as a separate work from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings franchise —therefore, his new upcoming movie has no connection to the series.
The Amazon series exists separately from the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hobbit flicks, despite having some well-known original characters as their much younger versions.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson and Walsh were said to be “frustrated” that so many fans thought they were involved in the series. And since Amazon is planning on fleshing out its LotR TV world, it could very well be that their two separate visions will have to compete with one another.
According to Variety, the new movie’s script and storyline is still in development. The most that has been announced is its working title, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt of Gollum.
Since the new movie is set to focus on Gollum, with Andy Serkis returning, it’s likely the story will take place somewhere within the original franchise. Gollum is hundreds of years old, but he’s not in the same timeline as Rings of Power.
What is the new Lord of the Rings movie about?
Details are unclear with the movie still in its early stages, but it’s been revealed it will have something to do with Gollum.
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Lord of the Rings: The Hunt of Gollum is a major clue to what the new movie could be about. The producers added, “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker — Gollum!”
Gollum was first introduced in the Lord of the Rings books. First known as Sméagol, he had killed his relative to obtain the ring and became corrupted by it. After all, it’s his “precious.” Possessing the ring prolonged his life for centuries but also deformed him as the Gollum we know him as today.
In the original storyline, he had died in T.A. 3019 when he betrayed Frodo Baggins to Shelob, acquired the ring again, and in his joy fell into the fiery pits of Mount Doom. It could be that the movie will explore Sméagol’s journey to acquire the ring in the first place and what happens after.
Will there be a Rings of Power Season 2?
Yes, The Rings of Power Season 2 is scheduled to be released sometime in 2024.
Amazon acquired the television rights to The Lord of the Rings in 2017 and made a multi-season deal. The first season of Rings of Power was the most-watched original series for Prime Video so it’s no surprise it was greenlit a second season.
The storyline was written during an extended break in lockdown, with filming having wrapped in early June 2023. Season 2 doesn’t have a release date just yet, but it will have eight episodes. The new season has a lot to explore as the Season 1 finale left a lot of unanswered storylines.
There was the unmasking of Sauron and the apparent reveal of Gandalf. Not to mention the forging of the rings. Executive producer Lindsey Weber revealed the tone for the new season will become darker.
“Season 2 is fundamentally different in that our main villain is out and about, and doing his thing,” she said to Deadline. “I think in some ways, it’s going to [be] grittier, more intense, maybe a little scarier.”
Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video, and you can catch up on everything we know about Season 2. You can also find new TV shows coming to streaming this month.