From the beginning, Amazon’s The Rings of Power has been an extremely divisive interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. A new casting announcement for Season 3 suggests that the debates surrounding the show will only grow louder.
During the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel last weekend, Amazon announced that Simon Pegg had joined the cast in a voice-acting role. The bigger issue for many fans, however, is who—or what—the actor is playing. Apparently, the Balrog in The Rings of Power Season 3 will talk.
Simon Pegg – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, YouTube
READ: New ‘God of War’ Game Starring Kratos Announced After Fan Backlash Over ‘God of War: Laufey’
Even those who have not read The Fellowship of the Ring will likely remember Gandalf’s iconic battle with the fiery creature in Peter Jackson’s film adaptation. While Gandalf cried, “You shall not pass!” in Khazad-dûm, the Balrog simply roared.
The Balrog Will Converse With Sauron
In The Rings of Power Season 3, the Balrog will reportedly do more than utter a few words in the Black Speech. According to co-showrunner Patrick McKay, the Balrog will converse with Sauron during the upcoming season.
“Creatures in Tolkien talk, full stop,” McKay told the crowd in Hall H. “And the Balrog is not just a monster; it’s not a mindless beastie. This is an intelligent, strategic, dangerous adversary, and we think of him as a character.”
McKay added that the show’s writers wanted to reveal a different side of the Balrog after previously presenting it primarily as a destructive monster.
Charlie Vickers as Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2024), Amazon MGM Studios
READ: More Disney World Good to Go Days Announced Through End of July
“We are crazy, stupid, or wild enough to imagine that this season he should have a scene with Sauron,” he explained.
The conversation will reportedly occur as Sauron attempts to master the fires of Mount Doom and forge the One Ring. Because Sauron and the Balrog are both corrupted Maiar, the Dark Lord apparently believes the creature possesses knowledge that could help him accomplish his goal.
Can Balrogs Talk in Tolkien’s World?
Although Tolkien never depicts Durin’s Bane speaking, that does not necessarily mean Balrogs are incapable of communicating.
Balrogs are not animals or mindless monsters. They are Maiar—powerful spiritual beings belonging to the same order as Sauron, Gandalf, Saruman, and the other Wizards. They were corrupted by Morgoth and became some of his most dangerous servants.
The Balrogs were intelligent enough to command forces, use weapons, recognize enemies, and wield supernatural power. Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs, served as a high-ranking captain in Morgoth’s armies during the First Age.
However, Tolkien’s published works contain no clear example of a Balrog holding a spoken conversation.
Gandalf vs the Balrog – Warner Bros.
In the original text, Gandalf directly addresses Durin’s Bane on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and commands the creature to return to the shadows. Tolkien then states that “the Balrog made no answer.”
Other powerful creatures in Tolkien’s world can certainly talk. Dragons, Eagles, Ents, and giant spiders all communicate through recognizable speech. Therefore, McKay is correct that a Balrog could theoretically possess the same ability.
The fact that Tolkien never explicitly confirmed whether Balrogs could speak has opened the door to decades of debate among fans and scholars. That said, the creator of Middle-earth preserved the Balrog’s menace by keeping its thoughts and motivations unknowable. Jackson accomplished much the same thing in his film adaptation.
A conversing Balrog in The Rings of Power, no matter how threatening its voice may sound, risks losing some of the mystery that made the creature so monstrous in the first place.
Is Simon Pegg an Example of Stunt Casting?
The addition of Simon Pegg to The Rings of Power Season 3 in a voice role raises other questions. Some online have described the decision as stunt casting and another unnecessary expense for a series already known for its historically high budget.
I kind if disapprove of pointless stunt casting in general.
Like… why pay for a big name and run up the budget. Simon pegg isn’t going to get anyone else to watch the show at this point. Just find a competent voice actor and save some money.
— Michael F Kane (@MichaelFKane) July 25, 2026
Although Pegg is well known to genre fans through his work in the Cornetto Trilogy, Star Trek, and the Mission: Impossible franchise, his presence seems unlikely to attract a significant number of new viewers. After all, audiences will presumably hear his performance without ever seeing his face.
Ultimately, a talking Balrog does not necessarily contradict Tolkien’s mythology. However, its conversation with Sauron—and its apparent role in forging the One Ring—is another major invention created specifically for Amazon’s adaptation. Whether that creative gamble pays off may depend on what the Balrog has to say.
Do you think Balrogs can speak in Tolkien’s world? Sound off and let us know!
UP NEXT: Beneficiaries of Disney/Fox Merger Unite Against Paramount/WBD Merger
