From the very beginning, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power has been leading to this. The none-more-epic television saga, charting a pivotal era in J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, has transported audiences into the Second Age of Middle-earth with plenty of spectacle, moving its players – Elves, Orcs, Men and more – across the board. And in Season 3, everything’s about to change. Darkness is rising. Sauron is ascendant. And the most important of those Rings Of Power is about to be forged. Get ready for one season to rule them all.
The new issue of Empire brings you a world-exclusive first look at what’s in store in The Rings Of Power Season 3, spending three days on set at Shepperton Studios, where we prowled the halls of Khazad-dûm and Rivendell, the streets of Númenor and the bowels of Mordor, to report on the most epic episodes yet. Inside, we speak to showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne on stepping up – and flashing forward five years – to get to the dark heart of their planned five-season saga. And as well as speaking to Sauron himself, Charlie Vickers, we come face-to-face with Gandalf (Daniel Weyman), Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and more to discuss the forces of good and evil warring for the soul of Middle-earth. It’s packed with never-before-seen images, new character reveals, and plenty more (dor).
This month’s newsstand cover sees Sauron in his stronghold of Barad-dûr, ready to plunge Middle-earth into darkness.
And this month’s subscriber cover sees Gandalf face off against a fearsome Mûmak, with an exclusive piece of art by Carlos Huante.
But that’s not all. Also inside this month’s mag, we pay tribute to the late, great Sam Neill, gone far too soon; venture to Raccoon City for Zach Cregger’s take on Resident Evil; reunite the Wyld Stallyns themselves, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, for a celebration of Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey; pay a visit to British stop-motion legends Aardman as they prepare their next feature; shake it all about with a report on the rising popularity of 4DX; and leather up with the director of I Want Your Sex. Don’t miss it.
Empire’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 3 issue comes to newsstands from July 30. And if one does not simply walk into your local newsagents, you can pre-order a copy online here. The Rings Of Power Season 3 comes to Prime Video from November 11.
