Amazon MGM Studios’ Rings of Power is reportedly already moving forward with plans for Season 4. Season 3 will not arrive on Prime Video until later this year. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is already setting a pre-production schedule under the expectation that a fourth season will receive an official greenlight. Filming is reportedly planned to begin in 2027.
The Lord of the Rings-based series is widely considered one of the most expensive television productions ever made. Industry reports claim Amazon paid roughly $250 million for the global rights to Tolkien’s works alone. The show’s first season reportedly carried a production cost of approximately $465 million.
Sophia Nomvete as Disa; Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2024), Amazon MGM Studios
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Altogether, Amazon may have invested well over $1 billion into the deeply divisive fantasy franchise.
Declining Viewership Has Not Slowed Amazon’s Plans
The studio claims that Rings of Power is “one of the highest-performing and most-watched titles ever on Prime Video,” with 185 million viewers worldwide. However, a third-party ratings report indicated that viewership for the second season dropped roughly 60% compared to the first. Other reports have also suggested that only 37% of domestic viewers who started the series watched it through to completion.
Even if that trend continues, Rings of Power Season 4 seems likely.
A key part of Amazon’s five-season agreement with the Tolkien Estate reportedly included a “kill fee.” Under the provision, the studio would owe the estate $20 million for every season of Rings of Power that is not produced. At this stage, Amazon MGM Studios may view continuing the series as more financially practical than paying the penalty, even if the show is not a major driver of Prime Video subscriptions.
Amazon Appears Committed To Completing The Series
In April, reports indicated that Peter Friedlander, Prime Video’s global head of television, visited the set during production on Season 3. While there, he reportedly reassured the creative team that Rings of Power is “protected for its run” and would have the opportunity to complete its full story.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel and Charlie Vickers as Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2024), Amazon MGM Studios
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THR notes that, if the series maintains its current production pattern, Rings of Power Season 4 could arrive on Prime Video in 2028. The combination of internal studio support and financial pressure also suggests the series could continue well into 2030.
Middle-earth Is Becoming Increasingly Crowded
Rings of Power is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age appendices from The Lord of the Rings. Season 3 is expected to jump forward several years from the events of the previous season. However, because many fans believe the series already takes significant liberties with Tolkien’s source material, the time jump itself may not even become a major point of debate.
Robert Strange as Glûg in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2024), Amazon MGM Studios
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All of this news comes as Warner Bros. also has two Lord of the Rings projects in development. Director and Gollum actor Andy Serkis is currently working on The Hunt for Gollum, which is scheduled for theatrical release on December 17, 2027. Meanwhile, former late-night comedian and self-proclaimed Tolkien superfan Stephen Colbert is co-writing The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. Both films are tied to the world and continuity established by Peter Jackson’s beloved trilogy.
Ultimately, Rings of Power Season 4 and these other projects seem to many like an attempt to mine Tolkien’s work for content. However, as the author’s arguably greatest work has already been adapted, newer projects face the difficult challenge of justifying their own existence rather than simply revisiting Middle-earth for brand recognition alone.
Are you interested in Rings of Power Season 4? Let us know in the comments!
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