The Rings of Power season 2 sets the tone for the show's journey to The Lord of the Rings: "History does repeat itself"

EntertainmentTVFantasy ShowsLord of the Rings TV ShowsThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerThe Rings of Power season 2 sets the tone for the show’s journey to The Lord of the Rings: “History does repeat itself"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. EntertainmentTVFantasy ShowsLord of the Rings TV ShowsThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerThe Rings of Power season 2 sets the tone for the show’s journey to The Lord of the Rings: “History does repeat itself"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Amazon Studios) In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie, evil has risen. Sauron, formerly Halbrand, walks upon the ashen mountains of Middle-earth having recently unveiled himself to Galadriel, whileAdar, the father of orcs, regroups with his children. Yet darkness has spread far beyond Mordor’s dreaded borders: in Khazad-dûm, the caves are crumbling; across the sea, Númenor faces civil war; and in Lindon, the light of the elves dims. This is where the first season of The Rings of Power – the prequel to The Lord of the Rings, bringing the Second Age of J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythos to life – ended, but not where the follow-up begins. Total Film Magazine(Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney)This feature originally appeared in issue 353. Buy a copy here. Total Film Magazine (Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney)This feature originally appeared in issue 353. Buy a copy here. (Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney) This feature originally appeared in issue 353. Buy a copy here. “Do you want to hear the opening?” an excited Patrick McKay, co-showrunner with J.D. Payne, asks Total Film. It’s a cold morning in April 2023 and we’ve just witnessed the filming of a monumental battle between orcs and elves outside the walls of Eregion (more on that later). We have now parked ourselves somewhere a little warmer, inside Bray Studios, near Windsor, to hear what the showrunners have been filming. “We open in the darkness, an orc walks in, and we see there are thousands of orcs gathered,” McKay says. It is the end of the First Age, Morgoth has been defeated, and Sauron demands fealty from his followers. “He’s about to be crowned, pitching his vision of Middle-earth, and right before they lay the crown on his head, his right-hand man, Adar, turns it upside down, and stabs him in the back. It’s the assassination of Sauron.” As a result, Galadriel, last season’s primary lead, shares the spotlight. For actor Morfydd Clark, though, there was still lots to do. “There’s always about three things filming at once,” she says, echoing executive producer Lindsey Weber’s claim that The Rings of Power is the only show shooting three units simultaneously. “And as a nerd for it myself,” Clark continues, “it’s so fun to find out more about these other characters.” “What makes Celebrimbor so interesting is how susceptible he is not only to flattery but also to someone with power,” Edwards says. “Regardless of how wise you are, if a god walks into your living room and says, ‘I’m going to open up your world view,’ you go with it. Outsiders may call it foolish, but Sauron cast a spell on him the moment he saw him.” Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox Elf discovery (Image credit: Prime Video) But what of those three rings for elven kings forged last season? Elrond’s taking them to Lindon’s leader Gil-galad in the hopes he will destroy them, while Galadriel’s chasing Elrond, wanting to use the rings to save their kin. “Conflict has been a part of their relationship but it’s more overt now and operates in a different way,” Robert Aramayo, who plays Elrond, says. “It makes it complicated as he cares about her, he loves her. It’s really complex.” Círdan is one of many new faces introduced this season. One of the best-known newcomers is Ciarán Hinds, who portrays a mysterious wizard hunting down Daniel Weyman’s other wizard (long suspected to be Gandalf) as he traverses the desert landscape of Rhûn. “We really are excited for the audience to see where that journey goes,” McKay teases without giving anything about the character away. They instead point out that Rhûn’s introduction marks the first time we’ve seen deserts in Middle-earth. They were filmed in Tenerife and give the show a Lawrence of Arabia feel. The showrunners are more open to discussing Rory Kinnear’s Tom Bombadil, the jolly immortal who has rarely been adapted for the screen despite appearing n Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. Bombadil becomes a companion on The Stranger’s quest to find his own identity. “It was the opportunity, not of one lifetime, but many lifetimes, to write Tom Bombadil,” says Payne. A quarter of the character’s dialogue comes straight from the books, and the writers meticulously researched how Tolkien adapted Anglo-Saxon verse to create the rest. “One of the moments I love best about this season is when The Stranger asks, ‘Who are you?’ And Bombadil just says, ‘Eldest.’ He’s wacky and sings songs, but when he says that, you get this sense of, ‘Oh, he’s been around for thousands of years.'” “For The Stranger, when he comes across Tom, his brain is being expanded,” adds Weyman. “There’s an expansion of understanding and time and what that means for him. It was a lovely way for us to explore what it means to be a character who actually knows about the singing-into-being of the universe, the years of the trees. That’s really fascinating.” Smith emphasises capturing things in-camera. For the Barrow Whites – terrifying, ghastly white creatures – they used contortionists who could pop bones out of place. “We were watching them work like, ‘How can this be real?'” Clark says. “We barely had to do any of the green-screen imagining stuff.” Isildur, last seen M.I.A. after being defeated in battle, makes his grand return to the show stuck in a spider’s web. “That was a wet, muddy set, and a lot of it was done for real,” says Maxim Baldry, who plays the future King of Gondor. “There were these spider-lings done with a puppet master. I watched it on a monitor and couldn’t believe it wasn’t CGI.” Orc this way (Image credit: Prime Video) Total Film witnesses some of the show’s in-camera magic first-hand. Hidden away in a British forest west of London, not unlike the forests that inspired Tolkien’s work, there’s a huge tent, and inside are hundreds of orcs getting their hair done. It takes two and a half hours to prepare just one of these gruesome beasts, with fresh prosthetics being created every day. One artist says over 1,500 pairs of ears have been made. An orc sips a green smoothie through a straw as they wait for their paint to dry. As TF steps outside, an opening in the forest and the huge stone wall of a castle, first constructed in December, dominate the view. The flags of Eregion blow in the wind while dead Elves are scattered across the treacherous landscape. In the distance, a half-dozen mammoth trebuchets are hidden in the trees. The orcs – no health drinks in hand – are midway through the battle, tearing someone apart, and they look utterly vicious. “Those orcs are very effective when they’re running around all frightening and angry,” says Clark when we meet again in the less-muddy comfort of a London hotel. “Even though you know [they’re just actors], I always have one take where I’m just [makes a scared noise] because it’s so effective.” “There were little hints in Season 1 of where we wanted the show to go tonally,” says McKay. “The later episodes really established this darker, more grounded tone.” He points to how director Charlotte Brändström, who helmed episodes six and seven, and returns for four episodes this season, found a sweet spot delivering a fantastical show that lets you sink into its world. “There’s greater depth with the characters and what they’re all grappling with and how they’re motivated.” It’s not only an orc who’s getting a Tolkien-ien redemptive story. “The villains often have something redemptive at their centre, even Sauron,” McKay says. “In his own twisted way, he thinks he’s healing Middle-earth… There’s an earnestness to stories in Middle-earth and we happily embrace that.” Power moves (Image credit: Prime Video) Back on set, Total Film notices a collection of particularly interesting props, some of the 10,000-plus individual items made for the second season. The production team walks us around the throne room of Númenor – an exquisite, gigantic room, where every detail has been meticulously crafted – where they have laid out a few tables covered in jewellery. Indeed, there are a few precious rings on display. This season, of course, brings us one step closer to the events of the main The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and certain characters are becoming more like their older counterparts. For Isildur, this season’s about going from “boyhood to manhood”, as Baldry puts it, while Elrond and Galadriel both have scenes that echo their movie selves. “History does repeat itself,” teases Clark, while Aramayo adds: “The show started in the Golden Age of the elves and things are becoming more Third Age-y.” At some point this season, Galadriel gives in to temptation and accepts an elven ring despite knowing Sauron’s part in forging it. The moment directly mirrors her temptation in The Fellowship of the Ring. “That’s the first breadcrumb on the trail of this entire show,” the showrunners say of the original Fellowship scene. “You should be believing she could be an absolute hero and totally good, and at the same time, she has a serious Achilles heel of pride and weakness and vanity and lust for power.” We will have to wait another three seasons to see Clark’s Galadriel fully become like Cate Blanchett’s version, as the showrunners are sticking to their initial pitch: “This was always the plan, to continue telling this five-season story… We have all kinds of ideas for the third and the fourth and the fifth. But, there’s a long road ahead.” And moving forward, they won’t be the only ones in the Tolkien business: Peter Jackson is producing a new film, The Hunt for Gollum, with Andy Serkis directing. “Tolkien’s world is so vast that it could support 100 shows and movies, and still only scratch the surface,” Payne says. “This was the man’s life work and there are over 9,000 years of history, a dozen in-world languages. You could do the Beren and Lúthien show if you wanted to. Go down any corridor and there’s a story there. We’re glad there are more stories in Middle-earth being told.” “And we’re staying in our lane,” adds McKay. “We have a 50-hour epic that we’re only 16 hours into crafting, and we’re seeing it through.” Evil has risen in Middle-earth and we’ve only just started exploring it. The Rings of Power season 2 begins on August 29 with a three-episode premiere. For more, check out our guide on how to watch all theLord of the Rings movies in order. CATEGORIESAmazon Prime VideoStreaming Services CATEGORIES More about lord of the rings tv showsThe Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all yearThe Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible"Latest26 years later, Codemasters’ Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► More about lord of the rings tv showsThe Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all yearThe Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible"Latest26 years later, Codemasters’ Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► More about lord of the rings tv showsThe Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all yearThe Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible” More about lord of the rings tv shows The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all yearThe Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible” The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year The Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible” The Rings of Power season 3 has a “strong” story as showrunners give an update on writing: “We’re hoping to turn it around as fast as possible” Latest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► Latest 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” See more latest► Most Popular"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - 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This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics” Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé 17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding” Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its 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wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”