Amazon Prime Video dropped a new teaser for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Wednesday, but only for Amazon Prime members. You’ll need to log into the video streaming app or website to see it for yourself. The one-minute video also promises a new trailer coming on Thursday, July 14.
Amazon is pulling out all the stops for its new fantasy series set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, and anticipation is at an all-time high. The series premieres on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, and in the meantime, the advertising campaign has been practically ceaseless since February. The first trailer got mixed responses from some but there’s no denying that it mobilized the fandom and piqued interest around the world. Now, this new teaser needs to seal the deal.
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The one-minute video released on Wednesday is mostly a visual tour of the characters and settings that will presumably define this series. The only line of dialogue comes from Lenny Henry who plays the hobbit Sadoc Burrows. After a comet flies overhead, he whispers ominously: “The skies are strange.” After that, we see elves, humans, dwarves and ents all staring up in awe at the same comet before it crash lands near a forest, causing a massive explosion.
For those who felt that the first teaser used too much CGI, this one will likely be a breath of fresh air. While the sets and fantastical characters are still animated, the aesthetic is more grounded and feels more similar to the world Peter Jackson brought to life in the film trilogy two decades ago.
In general, die-hard fans of Tolkien and Jackson seem to be coming around on this series. Many feel especially reassured by the announcement of a new book called The Fall of Nรบmenor last month. It will compile all of Tolkien’s writings about the Second Age of Middle Earth in one chronological volume, edited by Brian Sibley. It will be published in November of 2022 after the first season of Rings of Power concludes.
In the meantime, fans feel assured that this show is based on authentic source material and has a real story to tell. It will need something epic, as Amazon has already committed to this series wholeheartedly. Two seasons of the show were filmed back-to-back, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, the streamer may have already committed to as many as five seasons in total.
For now, fans are focused on the premiere. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hits Prime Video on Friday, Sept. 2. The second full trailer is expected on Thursday, July 14.
