The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will return to Prime Video on November 11, 2026, with Season 3 pushing forward into the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron. The date lands as Andy Serkis shoots The Hunt for Gollum in New Zealand, the Warner Bros. film reprising his role as Gollum ahead of a theatrical release set for December 17, 2027. Two separate productions, one shared Middle-earth, converging on screens within the same stretch of years.
Middle-earth is about to run two productions at once. Prime Video has locked November 11, 2026 as the premiere date for The Rings of Power Season 3, according to Amazon’s Upfront announcement and Deadline’s confirmation, and the timing lands right as Andy Serkis wraps his first week filming The Hunt for Gollum in New Zealand. One saga is heading to the small screen just as another begins its long march toward theaters. Between Sauron’s forging of the One Ring and Gandalf’s search for a certain slippery creature, Tolkien’s world hasn’t felt this crowded in years.
Middle-earth is having a busy 2026. Prime Video has locked in the return of its flagship fantasy series. Warner Bros. and New Line have cameras rolling in New Zealand on a new theatrical film. Two productions, two eras of Tolkien’s world, and a calendar that now finally has firm dates attached.
November 11 confirmed for Season 3
During Amazon’s Upfront presentation on May 11, 2026, the studio announced that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 will premiere November 11, 2026. The Hollywood Reporter had been first to report a 2026 launch, contradicting earlier assumptions of a 2027 arrival. Amazon says the series has drawn over 185 million viewers worldwide, with Season 1 still standing as the biggest premiere in Prime Video history.
The War of the Elves and Sauron
The new season jumps forward several years and lands at the peak of that long conflict, with the Dark Lord seeking to forge the One Ring and rule all of Middle-earth. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay return alongside executive producer and director Charlotte Brandstrom. Morfydd Clark (Galadriel), Robert Aramayo (Elrond) and Charlie Vickers (Sauron) lead the cast, joined by newcomers Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan. Filming took place in the United Kingdom, wrapping on December 10, 2025. “From the very beginning, this series has embodied the scale, ambition, and cinematic storytelling that define Prime Video’s biggest global series,” said Peter Friedlander, Head of Global Television at Amazon MGM Studios.
Gollum’s hunt begins in New Zealand
Meanwhile, Andy Serkis is directing and starring in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. The story sits between Bilbo’s departure from the Shire and the start of Frodo’s journey, following Gandalf and Aragorn’s search for the creature. “We’ve literally just completed a week. We’re finally up and running, so it’s great,” Serkis said of the shoot in New Zealand. Sir Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf, while Elijah Wood’s rumored appearance as Frodo has yet to be confirmed by the studio.
Two roads back to Tolkien
The series and the film cover different ages of Middle-earth, giving audiences a Second Age epic on streaming and a Third Age chase on the big screen. Reports suggest a Season 4 is in development with hopes of filming in 2027, though Amazon has not greenlit it. The Hunt for Gollum follows the Season 3 premiere and is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 17, 2027.