Image via O Bolseiro / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0). Morfydd Clark at The Rings of Power premiere, 2022.
Middle-earth is back tomorrow. The Rings of Power season 3 premieres on Prime Video on Wednesday, November 11, with four episodes landing at once.
It has been more than two years since season 2 ended in October 2024. This time Amazon is not making fans wait week by week. Half the season arrives on day one, and the whole eight-episode run is over inside November.
When do the episodes come out?
The release plan is simple. Episodes 1 to 4 arrive on Wednesday, November 11. Episodes 5 and 6 follow on November 18. The last two episodes, the finale, land on November 25, the day before Thanksgiving in the US.
All eight episodes stream only on Prime Video. You need a Prime membership or the standalone Prime Video plan to watch.
| Date | Episodes |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, November 11 | Episodes 1–4 |
| Wednesday, November 18 | Episodes 5–6 |
| Wednesday, November 25 | Episodes 7–8 (finale) |
Five years later, and a war is coming
Season 3 jumps five years past the end of season 2, after the fall of Eregion. Prime Video's own line for the season is short: "In Season Three, Middle-earth is at war."
Sauron is on the march, and the story builds to the forging of the One Ring. Showrunner Patrick McKay told Entertainment Weekly that this is the season where Sauron makes the One Ring in the volcano. The first two seasons set the pieces up. This one pays them off.
The new face: Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn
The big new arrival is Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Celeborn, Galadriel's long-lost husband. He was revealed in the role in July 2026, and fans have waited months to see what he does with it.
Bower is best known as Vecna, the villain of Stranger Things. He told Winter Is Coming that he wanted Celeborn to be the opposite of Vecna. Where Vecna was still and cold, Celeborn is a hero, and Bower said he had to find a whole new way to play him.
Simon Pegg joins the cast too, as the voice of the Balrog. Zubin Varla plays Khamûl, Eddie Marsan plays Thrain, and Andrew Richardson plays Anarion, the son of Elendil. Morfydd Clark is back as Galadriel, and Charlie Vickers returns as Sauron.
The Tolkien family is still in the room
Simon Tolkien, the author's grandson, is the show's credited creative consultant, a role he has held since season 1. McKay told SlashFilm the two showrunners are in constant talks with him, and that he pushes back on story choices when he thinks the lore needs it.
The show is still run by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, who created it. The two of them have said the first two seasons were act one of a three-act story, and season 3 is where it starts to pay off.
What to watch first
If you need a refresher, the season 3 trailer is the place to start. It came out on October 21, and it ends with the shot everyone is talking about: a man standing inside a volcano, holding a small gold ring up to the light.
Season 1 came out in 2022 and season 2 in 2024, so this is the first new Rings of Power in more than two years. Four episodes tomorrow is a lot to take in at once, and that is the point. Amazon wants the show to own the week.
FAQs
When does The Rings of Power season 3 come out? The first four episodes arrive on Prime Video on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Episodes 5 and 6 follow on November 18, and the final two land on November 25.
How many episodes are in The Rings of Power season 3? Eight in total, released in three batches: four on November 11, two on November 18, and two on November 25.
Who plays Celeborn in The Rings of Power season 3? Jamie Campbell Bower, best known as Vecna in Stranger Things, plays Celeborn, Galadriel's long-lost husband.
Where can I watch The Rings of Power season 3? It streams only on Prime Video, in more than 240 countries and territories.
Is there a time jump in The Rings of Power season 3? Yes. The story jumps five years past the fall of Eregion at the end of season 2, and Middle-earth is at war.
Read More: The Rings of Power Season 3 Trailer: Sauron's One Ring Quest and 11 November Release Date
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