‘Rings of Power’ Season 2 Trailer: Sauron Rises to Power in ‘Lord of the Rings’ Prequel; August Release Date Revealed

Sauron is on the rise in the first trailer for Season 2 of the Prime Video series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which premieres on Aug. 29. Amazon unveiled the trailer and the premiere date in New York City on Tuesday as part of its upfront presentation to advertisers.

The action-packed first look focuses on the rise of the fearsome and powerful villain during Middle-earth’s Second Age, as Sauron (Charlie Vickers) disguises himself as an elf to aid Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) in the forging of the titular rings of power. All sorts of menacing creatures — orcs, creeping tree vines, an oozing morass of wormy goo — appear to pollute the land, while many of the characters from Season 1 ready themselves for battle, including Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo), Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Isildur (Maxim Baldry).

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The preview also includes a brief shot of the character known as the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) wielding a wooden staff. In the Season 1 finale, he was revealed to be one of the wizards (a.k.a. the Istari) who later populate Middle-earth. Although the Stranger hasn’t been officially confirmed to be an early version of Gandalf, the most famous of Middle-earth’s wizards, the show hasn’t exactly disabused that impression, either. Other key “Lord of the Rings” cameos include Mount Doom, one of the Great Eagles, what could be the Watcher in the Water (or one of its early progenitors), and what appears to be Barad-dûr — a.k.a. Sauron’s central fortress in Mordor.

Season 2 of ‘The Rings of Power’ started filming late 2022 and was shot in the U.K., as opposed to the first season’s shooting locations in New Zealand.

It’s been a big week for “Lord of the Rings” fans. On May 9, Warner Bros. announced that Andy Serkis will return as Gollum in the first of two new live-action “Rings” movies. Serkis will also direct the film, tentatively titled “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” and the studio has slated it for release in 2026. Peter Jackson, director of the original trilogy, will produce the movie.

An animated movie titled “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” will hit theaters on Dec. 13. It will star “Succession” actor Brian Cox as Helm Hammerhand, the king of Rohan.

Watch the trailer below.

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