Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 teases a big change for Sauron as release date confirmed

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 officially has a release date and a first look at Charlie Vickers' return as Sauron. The Prime Video show will be arriving back on our screens on November 11 as a new era begins for Middle-earth.

The first image released from the new season shows Sauron wearing Morgoth's Iron Crown in what looks like a cave. He's seemingly done away with his Annatar disguise too, returning to his darker roots and looking more similar to his Halbrand disguise back in season 1. "The Dark Lord returns," reads the caption.

The third season of Prime Video's epic fantasy show will feature a time jump from the events of season 2. According to the synopsis, it will take place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron. The Dark Lord will be looking to craft the One Ring, which will not only allow him to win the war but also finally allow him control over all of Middle-earth.

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At the end of season 2, Sauron was in possession of all nine rings after besting Galadriel in a fight and the last we saw of him, he was holding Fëanor's hammer. Alongside the Dark Lord's plans, there were plenty of other key storylines left hanging, including the confirmation of The Stranger's identity as Gandalf, the Elves retreating to Rivendell, and Durin taking power after his father's death.

Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell-Bower will be joining the cast in the new season alongside Eddie Marsan and Andrew Richardson. It's not completely confirmed who they'll all be playing though with Campbell-Bower teasing fans about his character's possible identity.

They'll be joining the show's returning cast of Vickers as Sauron, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Daniel Weyman as Gandalf, Owain Arthur as Durin IV, Maxim Baldry as Isildur, and Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir. Ciarán Hinds will also be returning as the mysterious Dark Wizard, although it's not clear exactly who he is just yet.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay confirmed who he isn't. "We can say definitively he is not Saruman. Definitively, 100% he is not," McKay said. "I think we can say we do know who he is," Payne said as McKay added: "But that's all we can say."

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 begins on November 11. Check out our list of all the new TV shows arriving in 2026 and beyond, as well as our round-up of the best shows on Prime Video right now.

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Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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