J.R.R. Tolkien fans will soon have an opportunity to return to Middle-earth—though things may look a bit different this time. On September 2, Season One of the new Amazon Original series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In addition to a new episodic format, there are new characters, a new age, and a new legend set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books.

Understandably, you probably have some questions about the series—so we’re going to try and answer as many as we can. Read on to learn more about the cast, the creative direction, and most importantly, how, where, and when you can watch.

When does the series come out?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide—and in multiple languages—on September 2. New episodes will be available weekly.

An image of a cliff with a waterfall on the ledge and a large body of water below. There are treed in the background and people gathered around the edge. It is a scene from Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series.

Where can I watch?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available exclusively on Prime Video beginning September 2. If you’re a Prime member, log in to your account to watch on Prime Video, free with your membership. If you’re not a Prime Member yet, learn more about the benefits and find out how you can sign up.

How many episodes are in Season One?
This information hasn’t been officially announced yet, but we can’t wait to give you all of the details as soon as we can.

Do you need to watch the movies or read the books in order to understand the series?
The series is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, so audiences new to the franchise will not have to watch the movies or read the books to understand the series.

An image of a wood plank with am "R" carved into it. There is a welding tool pouring yellow, welded metal into the "R." This is a part of a larger sign that will eventually read "The Lord of the Rings" The Rings of Power."

Where was The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power filmed?
Season One of the Prime Video series was filmed in New Zealand.

What is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power about?
Prime Video’s forthcoming series brings the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history to screens. This epic drama 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 reemergence of evil returning 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.

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Who directed the series?
The series is led by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, J.A. Bayona, Belén Atienza, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Bruce Richmond, and Sharon Tal Yguado, and producers Ron Ames and Christopher Newman. Wayne Che Yip is co-executive producer and directs, along with J.A. Bayona and Charlotte Brändström.

An image of a woman smiling while holding a coffee cup and wearing a headset. She is standing behind a camera directing a shoot on a beautiful hillside.
Photo by Ben Rothstein/Ben Rothstein / Amazon

Which well-known characters will show up in the series?
Some familiar characters have already been revealed in the series’ first look images and official teaser trailer, including Galadriel, Elrond, and High King Gil-galad. Will there be more? You’ll have to wait and see.

Who wrote the new series?
The writers include showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay, along with executive producer Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad), executive producer Jason Cahill (The Sopranos), executive producer Justin Doble (Stranger Things), consulting producers Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones) and Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4), producer Ron Ames (The Aviator), co-producer Helen Shang (Hannibal), and writing consultant Glenise Mullins.

An image of a wooden plank with metal letters on it that read "The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power." There is a paint brush brushing off the letters.

Who is in the cast?
38 cast members have been announced to date. Here are the actors you can expect to see throughout Season One: Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Nazanin Boniadi, Beau Cassidy, Kip Chapman, Morfydd Clark, Anthony Crum, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Maxine Cunliffe, Charles Edwards, Will Fletcher, Trystan Gravelle, Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Thusitha Jayasundera, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Simon Merrells, Fabian McCallum, Geoff Morrell, Tyroe Muhafidin, Peter Mullan, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Augustus Prew, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Peter Tait, Alex Tarrant, Charlie Vickers, Amelie Child-Villiers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.