The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is one of Amazon’s most ambitious TV projects yet, a high-budget return to Middle-earth during its Second Age and a fantasy epic that brings the world of J. R. R. Tolkien to life on a scale never before seen outside of the silver screen. With just days to go before the show finds its long-awaited release, make sure you’re clued in on when and where to catch this all-new adventure across the lands of Arda with our guide on how to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power online.
Prequels are seemingly all the rage nowadays and while The Lord of the Rings already has a prequel by way of The Hobbit, The Rings of Power is somewhat of an unofficial prequel to the prequel, taking place thousands of years before the Third Age of Middle-earth that Peter Jackson’s Hobbit and TLotR films captured so perfectly. However, while certain names and places may seem familiar, the Amazon series and the movie trilogy are connected only by their source material and the decision for both to film in the idyllic scenery of New Zealand.
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power adaptation isn’t just one of Prime Video’s most highly anticipated series to date, it’s also one of the most expensive. Reportedly costing an average of $58 million per episode, the streaming giants have gone all out to ensure the show looks every bit as good as its silver screen brethren. While there’s no denying that the show looks the part, it remains to be seen if Amazon can recreate the success Warner Bros had with Tolkien’s fantasy universe. Though, with the show’s premiere arriving next month, there’s not long to wait to find out.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power official trailer
How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power online
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an Amazon Original show, and will premiere exclusively on Prime Video. Amazon Prime members have access to Prime Video at no additional cost and can enjoy every episode of The Rings of Power as it releases alongside other fantastic Amazon Originals such as The Boys, Night Sky, Good Omens, and The Terminal List.
The Rings of Power will premiere on Prime Video in over 240 countries worldwide with its first two episodes available in the U.S. and Canada on Thursday, September 1 from 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET). If you’re a Tolkien fan outside of North America then you can catch this season’s double episode opening in the U.K. on Friday, September 2 from 2 a.m. BST, or in Australia and New Zealand on Friday, September 2 from 11 a.m. AET and 1 p.m. NZST.
New episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released every week for the duration of this season’s eight-episode run. However, the release times of these episodes will be pushed slightly further back than that of the premiere, meaning new episodes arrive on Amazon’s streaming platform in the U.S. and Canada every Thursday from 9 p.m. PT or every Friday at midnight ET. Similarly, episodes will release in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand every Friday from 5 a.m. BST, 2 p.m. AET and 4 p.m. NZST.
How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power while abroad
Available in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, Prime Video is one of the most easily accessible streaming platforms available. This is great news if you’re planning to travel abroad and want to continue using the service. However, each version of Prime Video is curated to a particular watch region. This means you may no longer have access to your full library of on demand content as you cross borders.
If you want to avoid geo-blocking issues like this, you’ll need a Virtual Private Network (or VPN). Download a VPN today and you can adjust your virtual location to any number of servers hosted the world over to bypass any restrictions that come between you and your favorite sites and services.
What’s more, the best VPN services offer complete anonymity and incredible protection when using public Wi-Fi both at home and abroad. Free Wi-Fi at the airport, hotel, or nearby café is always a bonus, but these networks often have minimal safeguards in place to protect you and your data from all sorts of intrusions. VPNs offer a secure and encrypted connection that protects your data so well that even your internet service provider won’t be able to trace your online activities.
Whether you’re staying put this summer or traveling abroad a VPN is an essential tool when it comes to accessing your favorite services and preserving your privacy online.
What is the plot of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power takes place in the Second Age of Middle-earth. The show acts as an indirect prequel of sorts to The Lord of the Rings showcasing the forging of the 20 rings of power, the rise and fall of the island of Númenor, and the last alliance of Elves and Men in the face of the Dark Lord Sauron and his crowning as the titular “Lord of the Rings.”
The show’s premise may be familiar to fans of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. Lady Galadriel briefly narrates the Second Age’s ongoings during the opening of The Fellowship of the Ring — retelling the events that led to the One Ring’s forging, disappearance, and eventual discovery by Gollum.
However, Amazon’s take on this slice of Arda’s long and storied history aims to bring the era to life more than ever. The upcoming season invites us to explore new lands, welcome new faces, and witness future heroes and villains in the making. For a further glimpse into this season’s plot, check out Amazon Prime’s official synopsis for the show:
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power release schedule: When will new episodes be released?
The first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will release on Prime Video worldwide on Thursday, September 1 from 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET). Due to time differences those outside of North America you’ll be able to watch the season premiere on Friday, September 2 from 2 a.m. BST, 11 a.m. AET and 1 p.m. NZST.
Episodes will then release weekly on the same day, though three hours later than the premiere release. This means the U.S. and Canada can expect to catch new episodes every Thursday from 9 p.m. PT or every Friday at midnight ET. Those in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand will be able to watch new episodes every Friday from 5 a.m. BST, 2 p.m. AET and 4 p.m. NZST.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E01: "Shadow of the Past", Sept 1/2, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E02: TBC, Sept 1/2, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E03: TBC, Sept 8/9, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E04: TBC, Sept 15/16, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E05: TBC, Sept 22/23, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E06: TBC, Sept 29/30, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E07: TBC, Oct 6/7, 2022
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S01E08: TBC, Oct 13/14, 2022
