At their panel today at New York ComicCon, Prime Video unveiled a new trailer, for The Rings of Power season finale next week:
This was the first Rings of Power panel appearance since the series debut, and included not only the trailer (which does not contain very much which hasn’t been seen before), but also a surprise sneak peek at some footage from the finale episode, which will be available to stream on Prime Video next week, at 12:00am ET on Friday, October 14th.
The one interesting reveal at the very end of the trailer is a glimpse of Celebrimbor’s forge in action. It seems strange that we have yet to see Annatar using his persuasive powers on the elves, and yet already they are thinking about forging rings. Will all be explained and revealed in the season finale? There are many loose ends to tie up; and presumably some will be left dangling for Season Two…
Fans will be able to go deeper into the canals of Númenor, the mines of Khazad-dûm, the halls of Lindon, and more, as host Felicia Day takes a fresh and insightful look at the groundbreaking series and what it takes to bring Middle-earth to life. Each episode will feature exclusive interviews with cast and crew, including Morfydd Clark, Owain Arthur, and the show’s creators, JD Payne and Patrick McKay, that will take us behind the scenes with jaw-dropping stories and Easter eggs you won’t want to miss. Fans can listen to all eight episodes of the podcast for free on Amazon Music.
The third Rings of Power reveal today was a clip of a song which will feature in the Season Finale, from Fiona Apple.
Further details can be found in Prime Video’s press release:
Today, in their first panel appearance since the debut of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, seven of the series’ cast took a bite of the Big Apple on New York Comic Con’s (NYCC) Empire Stage in a lively panel moderated by actor, producer, New York Times best-selling author, and newly announced host of the show’s official free podcast on Amazon Music, Felicia Day (The Guild, Supernatural). The panel also included a first look at an exclusive new season finale trailer, and a surprise sneak peek at some never-before-seen footage from the highly anticipated finale episode, which will be available to stream on Prime Video at 12:00 a.m. EDT, Friday, October 14.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been a global sensation in its first season, garnering over 25 million views for the first two episodes over the series’ premiere weekend. Additionally, according to Nielsen, The Rings of Power also delivered 1.25 billion minutes streamed in the U.S. during (or over) its premiere weekend, making it the No. 1 show on their overall and original streaming charts. This is the first time a Prime Video series has debuted at No.1 on the Nielsen chart, and The Rings of Power was also the only series that crossed the 1 billion minutes streamed threshold for the week.
Cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson (“Queen Regent Miriel”), Nazanin Boniadi (“Bronwyn”), Charles Edwards (“Lord Celebrimbor”), Leon Wadham (“Kemen”), Benjamin Walker (“High King Gil-galad”), Daniel Weyman (“The Stranger”), and Sara Zwangobani (“Marigold ‘Goldie’ Brandyfoot”) participated in an hour-long panel that offered behind-the-scenes stories from the set, and some teases about the long-awaited first season finale.
Although showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay weren’t able to attend NYCC in person, they sent a special message from the show’s UK set, where production has just begun on Season Two of the series. In addition to welcoming fans to the panel, they also shared some behind-the-scenes footage and their excitement about the final episode of the season.
Fans were treated to an exclusive first look at a dynamic new trailer, recapping all of the key action to date and providing a sneak peek at what’s still to come in the epic season finale. The new trailer promises exciting payoffs for viewers next week, teasing Mordor will rise, heroes will fall, and all will be revealed, all to the sound of Bear McCreary’s score, titled “Sauron.” And was that a scene with Celebrimbor’s forge in action? Tune in on October 14 to find out!
Amazon Studios also surprised the NYCC panel attendees with an exclusive first clip from the season finale, revealing how key storylines across the different realms of Arda have finally converged, leading to a moment that viewers across the globe have been waiting for since the series title was first revealed!
Panel moderator and Tolkien super-fan Felicia Day also had some exciting news of her own—she’s the host of the upcoming The Official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Podcast—and she shared a special podcast trailer as well. In this groundbreaking new series, which will be available for free on Amazon Music, Day will share unique details, behind-the-scenes stories, and the most exciting and surprising moments through unprecedented access to the cast and crew, including showrunners J.D. Payne and PatrickMcKay. Listen to all eight episodes of the official companion podcast on Amazon Music beginning October 14. Download the Amazon Music app today.
Today, Amazon Studios also released “Where the Shadows Lie,” a new song performed by Grammy-winning artist Fiona Apple, from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season One: Amazon Original Series Soundtrack). Available exclusively through Amazon Music, the song was written by series composer Bear McCreary and appears in the season finale of the acclaimed new series on Prime Video. Set to McCreary’s powerful and ethereal score, with Apple’s haunting vocals at the forefront, the song is inspired by the iconic Ring-verse written by J.R.R. Tolkien in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy. As written, the poem was composed by the Free Peoples of Middle-earth about the origins of the Rings of Power and their relationship under the power of the One Ring. The song was produced by McCreary, Apple, and Andrew Slater, and engineered by Jason LaRocca and David Way. Listen to “Where the Shadows Lie” (feat. Fiona Apple) HERE .
TheOneRing.net and Sideshow.com are throwing a party tonight at New York Comic-Con; there are still some tickets remaining, and we’d love to see YOU there!
Join us tonight, Friday, October 7th at 7:30pm as we bring back our annual NYCC gathering of fans! This time we’re teaming up with our friends at Sideshow and will be offering drinks, food and some amazing prizes.
Photo by Ashlee Rose Scott
This year we’ll be at Joyce Public House (formerly Tir na Nog) in Times Square (W 39th St), and the party will be on FRIDAY 7th October, 7.30-11pm.
Tickets are only $25, and include your first drink, finger food, and two tickets for the raffle which will be drawn on the night. (You’ll be able to purchase more raffle tickets; check out the amazing prizes, listed below!) Plus you’ll also get your ticket cost back in SIDESHOW.COM REWARDS if you set up a Sideshow account!
Amazing prizes in the raffle include goodies from our good friends at Oscha – you might win one of their beautiful Rivendell mugs:
Or you could win one of the MANY other amazing goodies we have to give away!
The Rings of Power team are in town for New York ComicCon – and you never know, they may just come along to party with us… Grab your tickets now – see you there!
Join us Friday, October 7th at 7:30pm as we bring back our annual NYCC gathering of fans! This time we’re teaming up with our friends at Sideshow.com and will be offering drinks, food and some amazing prizes.
Photo by Ashlee Rose Scott
Finally we can all enjoy things like parties together again; so we’re back for another party in the Big Apple! TheOneRing.net is delighted to be teaming up with the official Sideshow ‘Let Your Geek Sideshow’ group to throw a splendid party!
This year we’ll be at Joyce Public House (formerly Tir na Nog) in Times Square (W 39th St), and the party will be on FRIDAY 7th October, 7.30-11pm.
Tickets are only $25, and include your first drink, finger food, and two tickets for the raffle which will be drawn on the night. (You’ll be able to purchase more raffle tickets; check out the amazing prizes, listed below!) Plus you’ll also get your ticket cost back in SIDESHOW.COM REWARDS if you set up a Sideshow account!
The Rings of Power team are in town for New York ComicCon – and you never know, they may just come along to party with us… Grab your tickets now – see you there!
Raffle Items Include…
Mondo Rick and Morty 1:6 Figure Set
Sideshow The Dude Exclusive 1:6 Figure
The Wand Company Poke Ball Replica
Hot Toys Little Groot – GOTG
Hot Toys Knightmare Batman & Superman 1:6 Set
Hot Toys Ahsoka Tano 1:6 Clone Wars
Sideshow The Child – Life-Size Figure
Octunnumi Prologue Custodian Book
Iron Studios Archer Orc 1:10 Statue
NZ Mint Frodo Chibi 1oz Silver Coin
Asmus Toys Arwen In Death Frock 1:6 Figure Exclusive
Star Ace Morgul Lord Statue
Vanderstelt Bag End Unframed Print
Trick or Treat Studio Gollum Mask Prop Replica
Trick or Treat Studio Lurtz Mask Prop Replica
Ring of Gil-Galad by Into the Fire jewelry makers
‘Rings of Power’ Concept Art Print, signed by John Howe
Beautiful Middle-earth items from Scottish designers Oscha
And more…!
Pssst! When you order your ticket(s), check out the pins you can add to your order!
A week has gone by since we gathered with fellow fans in the belly of the beast for Dragon Con 2022 – a return to pre-Covid type revelry; though with slightly reduced numbers this year.
This year’s convention was a great success – and it has to be said, the reduced numbers make a BIG difference. The event still felt crowded, but it was possible to move around without getting stuck in a crowd and coming to a complete standstill.
For Tolkien fans, there was plenty to love. On Thursday 1st September, staffers deej, Madeye Gamgee and greendragon started us off with a look at what we might expect to see in Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Folks then dispersed to various room parties to watch the first two episodes, as they released that evening.
Staffers deej, greendragon and Madeye Gamgee at Thursday’s panel
Very Special Guests
Friday 2nd brought what was for many the most exciting panel of the weekend – a chat with dialect coach Leith McPherson and artist John Howe. Hosted by greendragon, this conversation could have gone on for much longer than an hour. McPherson and Howe are both passionate, insightful and charming – and had much to say! Their love for Tolkien, and their desire to respect his creation whilst bringing something new to the screen in The Rings of Power, was evident. Listening to them speak, noone could doubt the earnest desire of the showrunners to honour and cherish Middle-earth, and all that it means to people, in this new manifestation. (Whether they have succeeded or not remains a matter of opinion and personal taste; but the sincere wish not to break something beautiful, as McPherson put it, cannot be doubted.)
After the panel, DragonCon TV caught up with the two guests:
Friday – An Evening at Bree
That evening, TORn joined the High Fantasy Track to host a long-standing Dragon Con tradition – An Evening at Bree. This year we had three musical acts: The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson, and Landloch’d. All had partygoers up on their feet, dancing and swirling. The Elf Choir sang as beautifully as ever, providing a moment of ethereal calm in the revelry.
The highlight of Bree is always the costume contest, and this year was no exception! McPherson and Howe joined us to judge the entries – and were joined by experienced cosplayer Joshua Duart, in full Thranduil regalia! They had their work cut out for them – with 30 entries of a very high standard, it was not easy to choose winners!
The judges for An Evening at Bree’s Costume Contest
In the end, decisions were made, and prizes awarded. (Big thanks to our friends at Oscha, Mythologie Candles, NZ Post, Cave Geek Art, and Into the Fire Jewelry for giving us some incredible goodies to give to the winners!) Feast your eyes on some of the winning entries:
Group costume winner: The Fellowship!
Movie/tv inspired costume winner: Galadriel from The Rings of Power
Book inspired winner: Disa, complete with light up shield
Band’s choice winner: The Sexy Eye of Sauron!
Best in Show winner: Eowyn/Dernhelm
Special guests John Howe and Leith McPherson join all the costume entries at An Evening at Bree
Around the rest of the Con
On Saturday morning, some hardy souls were up early, to march with the Arms of Middle-earth in the Dragon Con parade! Further Tolkien panels in the High Fantasy Track included a discussion of ‘Underworlds of Middle-earth’ and ‘Gandalf vs Sauron – Angels at War’. We also explored the upcoming anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – and during that panel, we shared a special video message for fans at the con, from Philippa Boyens and Richard Taylor!
Hobbit Drinking Songs with the Brobdingnagian Bards drew the usual crowd on Sunday night; but we were back at it bright and early Monday morning, for a TORn panel discussing what we had seen in Episodes 1 and 2 of The Rings of Power – and speculating what might be to come…
There was just time for folks to stop by our table and buy a button or shirt before the con drew to a close on Monday afternoon. The Dragon has returned to its lair for another year! But Tolkien fandom is alive and well, and Middle-earth was well represented at Dragon Con 2022.
See you next year!
We must thank Amazon Prime Video for arranging for Leith McPherson and John Howe to join us this year. We hope for more exciting guests next year! Thanks of course to the High Fantasy Track, and Dragon Con in general, for continuing to invite TORn to participate. We look forward to seeing our fellow fans again next year!
DragonCon is upon us! For the first time since 2019, the full Dragon (almost – numbers are slightly limited again this year) is being awakened. And TORn staffers are there to share the fun.
You can find staffers deej and greendragon at TORn’s ‘fan table’ (which we believe will be in our usual spot, in the Hyatt opposite the entrance to the Art Show) throughout the con. We’ll have new button and shirt designs on sale, and all kinds of fun things for fans to look at. You can also sign up at the table for the Evening at Bree costume contest! (Sign up is also available in the High Fantasy Track Room, Marriott L401-403).
Events of interest to Tolkien fans during DragonCon are as follows:
Thursday 1st 7pm TORn’s Rings of Power preview
A last chance to speculate what’s coming in Prime Video’s highly anticipated show, before it becomes available to watch at 9pm ET. Spoiler-free speculation! Marriott room A601-602
Friday 2nd 5.30pm Behind the Scenes of The Rings of Power
TORn staffer greendragon hosts a panel with very special guests artist John Howe and dialect coach Leith McPherson, talking about their work on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – and beyond. Hilton Grand West
Friday 2nd 8.30pm An Evening at Bree
TORn is delighted to join the High Fantasy track again to host a long standing DragonCon tradition. Party like a Hobbit! We have three live bands this year, to get toes (hairy and otherwise) tapping – The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson, and Landloch’d. We’ll also have the Elf Choir, and of course the costume contest. If you’d like to enter, please sign up in advance of the evening, at the TORn fan table or the High Fantasy track room. Our panel of judges this year will be cosplayer Joshua Duart, together with very special guests John Howe and Leith McPherson.
Saturday 3rd 1pm War of the Rohirrim
Find out more about this exciting anime film, telling the tale of Helm Hammerhand – coming April 2024. Marriott room L401-403
Monday 5th 10am Rings of Power After Hour
Discuss and reflect on the first two episodes, and what may or may not be to come this season and beyond!
Let the games begin! Please come and say hi if you’re in Atlanta; see you in the belly of the beast!
Before we plunge into news junkets and global premiers, here’s one more look-back at SDCC 2022.
This was my 5th adventure with TORn for an experience that continues to be as overwhelming as it is incredible. Bookending Covid closures, the cons of 2019 and 2022 were completely different for TORn. Three years back we were in 20th Anniversary mode, and our panel of familiar faces brought both reminiscent nostalgia as well as the “rare good ballast” of Dispatches from Middle-earth that our faithfully devoted Comic Con fans love (hello the Button Lady!), as well as a discussion of the then far-off Rings of Power series.
Before
Roughly two decades earlier, the convention was a much smaller enterprise, and so were we. Hall H was just a room with a lot of seating capacity and a big screen. A handful of us presented on our panel and we didn’t have so much as a folding table on the exhibit hall floor. The Lord of the Rings films were a great big unknown for most not too far beyond the bounds of Tolkien fandom. Weta’s 1st line of FotR movie collectibles were on display at the Sideshow Toy booth while the Weta team wandered the floor like we did; I was shooting pictures with my mother’s digital camera and couldn’t get the date set right…
We could see the wave coming on some distant horizon. We knew we were building something, part of something. Something that crossed boundaries and minimized identities of nation, ethnicity, faith, gender, economic status, ability. The last thing we were thinking about was 2022.
A merry gathering
For me, this year’s Comic Con was absolutely an unexpected party. Two panels, a booth, and hosting the Prime Video Rings of Power fan event was not in the early forecast! Understanding the moment, TORn leadership reached out to fandom colleagues we met for the first time in person in London, inviting them to join our panels and staff our booth.
And they came! From London proper and destinations sprinkled throughout the US, they came by planes, trains, and yeah – automobiles. Planes dead on the tarmac, nasty weather, overnight flights, crazy transfers and rerouting, driving through 115 degree heat… nothing stopped these new friends from coming together to do what we love the most: celebrate the writings of JRR Tolkien.
Celebrate we did! And represent. And engage. Crowds at the booth were often five people deep, in an area dedicated to books that is usually pretty quiet by con standards. Willie (Knewbettadobetta) holding court alongside Matt (Nerd of the Rings) and Jed Brophy (Nori, orcs #5, 6 & 7, elf #5, Ringwraith, writer…). Kaitlin’s (Tea with Tolkien) calming presence. Kellie (author and Happy Hobbit) sharing her books and signing for her fans. Kris (Elf_boi) scripting the names of fans in elvish on an iPad. Lauren in her now-famous Galadriel cosplay. Chris (TORn Tuesday camera man and all-around ninja) tirelessly handling exchanges to move the small mountain of merch we had to sell. Cliff (our own Quickbeam) booming trivia with the voice of an ent. Tireless Justin (TORn Tuesday) seeming to be everywhere and nowhere, the nuclear power making it all happen.
Panels, halls and a party
This year we hosted not one, but TWO panels. Thursday’s set featured a more typical TORn offering, with Justin at the helm, engaging staffers Cliff, Kellie, Cathy (Garfeimao), and Josh (Collecting the Precious), and special guest Kris. Richard Taylor and Philippa Boyens kicked of the conversation with a War of the Rohirrim-themed welcome video! (Demosthenese interviewed Boyens recently re: WotR here.)
Straight from the panel this Took struck out to find the Day Before line for Hall H. Highlights: Hanging with LadyNico and her intrepid British Posse; scoring a ticket to see Shatner on Shatner from Cathy; late night blues with Varking and Knewbettadobetta, literally sleeping on the concrete wrapped in a thin blanket; meeting Dianne from our Discord; jamming to the disco cabs riding by (also a low-light); finally getting banded and marching to the next line.
As you may have heard, the Prime Video Rings of Power Hall H panel was astounding. Check out this piece by staffer Garfeimao for details.
Two hours after Hall H ended, it was time for our staff to report for duty at what promised to be the fan event of the weekend: the Prime Video party! Showrunners Patrick McKay and Lindsey Weber mingled with us after a special cast signing for holders of a Golden Mallorn (leaf) ticket. Actual costumes graced the hall, as you can see in this post by staffer Mithril. The event was spectacular, and being able to select cosplayers to meet the cast was truly memorable.
Sunday, TORn’s second panel was serious, funny, and exemplary. Moderated by Justin, the focus was on Middle-earth’s 2nd Age, and it was a whopper. Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen, Cliff, Willie, Anna Marie, and Matt held some serious court in a room fixated on every word. Time compression seemed to actually happen as a rich discussion of the 2nd Age’s known elements, and the wide open spaces between them inviting new storytelling, unfolded. Here it is!
TORn 3.0
This isn’t just a new era for Middle-earth storytelling – it’s a new era for Tolkien fandom too. After a long slog by many faithful and hard working staff, TORn 3.0 has bloomed! It’s incredible to be here. Hosting and sharing Comic Con with our friends in fandom enriched everyone’s experience and illustrative of how times have changed. We look forward to continued collaborations as the community swells and the influence of JRR Tolkien broadens through time and place. Forth Ringers!
Preview Night! Christ – Matt – Will – Jon – Jed – JustinJed and Fans – check that autographed axe!Quickbeam – Knewbettadobetta – TookishDurin’s Family ReunionCliff snappin’ RoP wrappin’TORn Thursday Panel: Justin – Cliff – Kellie – Cathy – Kris – JoshRichard Taylor and Philippa Boyens open the TORn Thursday panel.TheOneRing.netHall H Day Before Line. Green flag marks the start of the line.The rest of the Hall H Day Before line.RoP Party – Garfeimao does a great Bilbo!RoP cast ready to sign for fans: Trystan – Sophia – Sara – RobertSuzy – Cliff – PatrickPatrick pointedly NOT telling LadyNico where Glorfindel is…Jed and Daisy Yep, that’s the legendary TORn Sunday panel!… and the audience (well, part of it) …
