It is one of the most-watched series in Prime Video history: therefore, it comes as no surprise that there is huge anticipation for the third season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The new eight episodes will be released on the platform in three installments starting November 11, 2026, and will transport viewers back to a Middle-earth ravaged by flames and the blood of battles.
One of the season’s main novelties is the locations. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 3 was filmed, in fact, among picturesque villages tucked into wild nature, rugged and pristine coastlines, and old disused quarries all waiting to be discovered.
What is it about
Five years have passed since, at the end of the second season, Eregion fell. Sauron (Charlie Vickers) is determined to subjugate Middle-earth and to do so he can rely on a full army of orcs. As the objective draws ever closer, above all, imprisoned in the Barad-dûr tower on Mount Doom, the Dark Lord is working on the forging of the One Ring: a weapon he believes will allow him to win the war and subjugate all peoples. In the face of this threat, Men, Dwarves and Elves have no choice but to set aside ancient divisions and defend together the few remaining strongholds, those protected by the Three Rings.
Where was the series filmed
The locations for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 3 are all in the United Kingdom, unlike the previous seasons and especially the Peter Jackson film trilogy, of which the Prime Video series is something of a prequel, set thousands of years earlier (in the Second Age of Middle-earth, more precisely).
To recreate the harsh, suspense-filled settings that Tolkien fans have come to relish, the series’ production pushed itself to the far south of Wales: to the Portland promontory, famous for its rugged and windswept coasts and for the breathtaking views over the English Channel. For centuries, the Portland Lighthouse, today a symbol of the area and much visited by tourists and hikers, has guided vessels navigating this dangerous stretch of sea.
Among the other locations of the new season, the Trefil quarries stand out in particular. We remain in South Wales, and the village from which they take their name is one of the highest in the entire region (rising to nearly 410 meters above sea level). Surrounded by the heath of the Brecon Beacons National Park, one of Wales’s most important national parks, the Trefil quarries once supplied limestone to the region’s iron industry. Today they are disused, but they remain a highly frequented natural site, especially for trekking enthusiasts. The almost lunar landscape has over the years made it a destination much appreciated by filmmakers as well: here, among others, Doctor Who and Merlin were shot.
Some scenes from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 3 were shot in studios: at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, in the southeast of the United Kingdom, to be precise.
