It’s a long wait for fans between seasons of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For the show runners, cast and crew, the hard work continues during the year ‘off’ for us viewers – and now, in just one week, we’ll all be able to enjoy the fruits of their labours. We have some images and content to keep you busy until then – with interviews coming soon!
A couple of weeks ago Prime Video invited various influencers and press to get ‘Close to the World’. Our staffer greendragon was lucky enough to join them in the English countryside – where amid bucolic scenes reminiscent of the Shire, insight into all the crafts and talents which go into the show were shared. Here’s what greendragon had to say:
Getting Closer to the World
Arriving into London, a merry meeting awaited! Old friends such as Nerd of the Rings, Varking Runesong, Tea with Tolkien, Airplane facts with Max, the Tolkien Professor, and Fellowship of Fans were gathering, thanks to a very exciting invitation from the good people at Prime Video. Reunited with admirable and excellent folks – and delighted to be making new friends – on the first day we were taken to Shepperton Studios. There the remarkable team behind wigs, make-up, prosthetics and costumes lavished their care and attention on us, as we were fitted for character overhauls – to come later in the week. I felt unworthy of such diligence – but of course, whatever they created for us would be seen over the interwebs, so naturally they wanted it to be worthy of their amazing talents!
Nerd of the Rings, Varking and Tea with Tolkien admired Elven costumes
That evening, we were delighted to have a chance to say hi to the very busy (and surely exhausted – so nice of them to take the time!) showrunners, Patrick McKay and JD Payne. Then we scattered to our various evening plans (mine included a swim in a rooftop pool, which I had all to myself). Sleep was needed – as the next day, we were going on an adventure!
Into the wild…
Little buses picked us up outside our central London venue, to whisk us into the English countryside. It was a misty, atmospheric Autumnal day as we slowly passed by Oxford in the late afternoon twilight. Further into the wild we ventured; towns became fields and trees. A wooden sign with a familiar ‘swoosh’ logo shepherded us the way we were to go. But then – a security guard told us we should not pass… Dismounting from the bus, out of the foggy gloom towards us loomed riders in black – Naznagôl! Arranged as though we had intruded on a film set, complete with lighting and music, we were able to approach the daunting ringbearers and their stunning steeds – before we ventured through what seemed to be a magic portal, to the realm which awaited us beyond…
We were at Soho Farmhouse, where wooden signposts had been topped with golden rings, doorways were festooned with dried flower wreathes, and everything was carefully arranged to transport us to Middle-earth – or at the very least, to a filming location for Tolkien’s world. Cosy cabins were as snug as Hobbit-holes; and tables groaned with enough food to satisfy even Merry and Pippin. Cast joined the fun and were ready to chat and share the excitement. Leith McPherson, the show’s dialect coach, delighted us with an exuberant presentation on Tolkien’s languages (focusing particularly on Elvish). In one of the venue’s barn-like spaces were displayed all manner of treasures: wigs, props, set designs, costumes, weapons and prosthetics. Even better – the heads of these various departments were there to talk to us, to explain the labours which go into creating what we see on screen. Best of all – we were even allowed to touch these wonders, as we asked the wizards behind them to explain just how they came into being.
The team from our Shepperton visit arrived to transform us into Elves, Dwarves and Númenóreans. It was astonishing, to see everyone unrecognisable. I was a Númenórean woman – certainly a noble, maybe even royalty, judging from my golden garments and shoes! The wig was a thing of beauty – painstakingly curled and shaped around my head. Once again, I was humbled by the care and time taken by these amazing artists.
Action!
Having gone ‘Closer to..’ characters, costumes, language and craft, my favourite part of the adventure was getting ‘Closer to the Action’. A stunt team – lead by Stunt Coordinator Roy Taylor – taught us some basics, including the all important ‘how to fall’. They then showed us a fight sequence from Season 3 – featuring Hannah and Jordan, stunt doubles for Galadriel and Arondir. And then, to our amazement, they taught US the sequence – and we performed it! I’m now considering a change in career path, given my newly discovered orc-abilities…
After far too short a time, the hour came to leave this realm of wonders and return to the real world. As I wended my way back through Cotswold countryside, I reflected on all I had seen. What struck me – not as a surprise, but as an underlining of a truth I already suspected – was the level of care and attention taken over every aspect of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Whatever one’s own feelings about the show – whatever nitpicks one may have with plot lines, or characterisations – there can be no doubt that everyone working on the show is of the highest calibre. They pour their energy and skills into everything they do, taking pride over every detail – whether they are working behind the scenes or in front of the camera. The camaraderie was also evident; this is a fellowship, a huge but intimate group of people who support and cherish one another.
Cheers to the fandom and to fellowship!
That kinship comes from the top. Payne and McKay have built a team who look forward to working together – who, rather than feeling it is a long slog, wish the show would never end! The love and respect shared by all was extended to us for this magical glimpse into their world. The generosity of the show runners, allowing us to see so much, was matched by the warmth of everyone we met. I am in awe of what Prime Video and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power invited us to share – and I am grateful to have been lucky enough to join the fun. It makes me all the more eager to see what these folks have built together, playing out in Season 3. Just a few days until we can ALL share that magic…
Exclusive Interviews
During the ‘Closer to the World’ event, greendragon sat down with some of The Rings of Power team. We’ll be sharing those videos over the coming days, as we head back to the Second Age of Tolkien’s realm. Coming soon! Meanwhile, if you haven’t already seen it – watch the Season 3 trailer here!
In the South transept of London’s Westminster Abbey you can find Poets’ Corner – an area filled with memorials and commemorations. From Geoffrey Chaucer – who was interred in the Abbey in 1400 – to, most recently, Beatrix Potter (whose memorial was unveiled in 2024), Poets’ Corner contains fascinating burials, plaques and statues.
To be fair, Chaucer was interred in the Abbey because he was Clerk of Works for the Palace of Westminster. A new tomb was erected – and his remains moved – in 1556; Edmund Spenser was then buried nearby in 1599, and so began the tradition of writers being commemorated in that area of the Abbey (along with the various Canons and Deans buried there – and one actor, Laurence Olivier).
In 2027, J. R. R.Tolkien will receive a memorial in Poets’ Corner – not far from his dear friend C. S. Lewis, whose marble stone was added in 2013, on the 50th anniversary of Lewis’ death. The installation of Tolkien’s memorial will be next Spring; 2027 is the 90th anniversary year of publication of The Hobbit, and the 50th anniversary year of publication of The Silmarillion. Tolkien’s memorial will be 2.5 metres (just over 8 ft) tall, and will capture his love of trees – as well as reflecting his own artwork. Read all about this wonderful memorial here.
Stephen Broadbent working on a prototype of the Tolkien memorial, August 2026.Credit: Jonny Nolan
Tolkien of course is buried in Wolvercote Cemetery, Oxford, together with his beloved wife Edith. Lewis is also buried in Oxford – in the church yard of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry. Now the two Inklings will be commemorated near one another. One likes to imagine what they might say, over a pint at The Eagle and Child, if they knew such honour would be accorded them. It might be a source of surprise and amusement – but certainly of pride. We look forward to visiting the Professor’s memorial in the Abbey next year.
Recently we shared news of the newOfficial Lord of the Rings™ Fan Club – where ‘everyone is welcome, as long as they welcome everyone'! We are excited to join the club as one of their ‘Heralds’ – and we want to invite YOU to join us! May we entice you with a special mathom…?
Since TheOneRing.net started out – in the dim and distant past that was the late 20th century! – we’ve always sought to create a positive atmosphere. We aimed to have our little corner of the interwebs be a place where folks could meet, chat, support each other, and celebrate shared passions together. In recent years, however, you may have noticed toxicity creeping in to the online experience! If you weren’t around to share in the heady, early days of online fandom, now is your chance to experience another kinder, more generous-spirited place to interact online – a place after TORn’s own heart. That, at least, is the goal of the new Official LotR Fan Club – spearheaded by none other than one of our own founders, Calisuri. So of course TORn wanted to be part of it!
Being a ‘Herald’ means we have our own official page, with a ‘sub-community’ at the club. It will allow TORn to share news to a wider fanbase, through the club. Fear not – we are certainly not giving up our own places for fans to gather! (In fact, if you haven’t dropped by our message boards lately, you should definitely swing by: they are all shiny and new, thanks to the hard work of supremo First Age staffers Altaira and BG!) And you’ll still be able to find us on our discord; the Fan Club just gives us another way of letting fans know what we’re up to, and of sharing the love of this Fellowship.
We hope you’ll pop by and check out the Fan Club. There are fun ‘fireside chats’, bulletin boards, and daily puzzles to be solved! (Riddles in the dark, anyone…?) And for those of you who love to collect – there are many amazing ‘mathoms’ you can gather, to create a record of your own Fan Club journey. Use this referral link to head over to the Club and you’ll secure TORn’s very own, exclusive mathom! And look for more fun mathoms to collect during DragonCon, later this week!
Come on in – you are welcome any time, don’t bother knocking!
Thirteen years ago, I interviewed Peter Kenny, as part of my Getting to Knowseries of features. He very graciously agreed to answer the, sometimes, well often, crazy questions. Revealing a truly Hobbit-like enjoyment of our world and the world of Middle-earth.
Now Peter has released his memoir, My Unexpected Journey. His memoir takes the reader on an unexpected journey of a life full of adventure, good and bad. Peter describes how Tolkien, and Middle-earth, helped him navigate these devastating lows and amazing highs. He discusses the lifelong friendships he has formed, and his ongoing delight with the Tolkien fandom.
“My Unexpected Journey is a remarkable piece of work for which the writer himself thanks Tolkien. I recommend this memoir highly. You will love the book; you will love the man.” – John Callen, actor and director.
My Unexpected Journey will make a wonderful addition to any Tolkien fans bookshelf. It is an honest, heartfelt reflection on facing misfortune and overcoming it. It is a lovely homage to J.R.R. Tolkien, and all the fans who love Tolkiens work.
I guess I would like to be recognised for my contribution I have given to Tolkien Fandom over the years and my Memoir is my Magnum Opus and tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien. – Peter Kenny.
My Unexpected Journey is available for purchase at online bookstores.
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
Whispers and rumours were heard a couple of weeks ago; and now the way is open at last! The shiny new Lord of the Rings Official Fan Club from Middle-earth Enterprises is here. And what’s more, one of TORn’s own Four Founders, Calisuri, is building it! We’re feeling like it’s those early days of online fandom all over again, seeking out friends on the internet and geeking out together. There are quests to be fulfilled and mathoms to be collected – some of which will be found at San Diego Comic Con this weekend! So get your questing boots on! Head on over to LOTR.com to join the fun.
Here’s what the official press release tells us:
Middle-earth Enterprises Announces the Official Fan Club for The Lord of the Rings ™
Free to join at LOTR.com, the new official community opens in early access this July with Quests, Fellowships, collectible Mathoms, daily games, and a shared San Diego Comic-Con program
LIVERMORE, CALIF. — Middle-earth Enterprises today announced the official fan club for The Lord of the Rings ™ , a free community opening in early access this July at LOTR.com.
Even before any official public announcement, fans around the world had already discovered the hidden entry at LOTR.com and joined the waitlist, underscoring the demand for a welcoming official home for Middle-earth fandom.
Built for fans of The Lord of the Rings ™ , The Hobbit ™ , and the wider world of Middle-earth, the fan club is designed to give members an active role in a new official community at LOTR.com. Members will be able to complete Quests, earn digital keepsakes called Mathoms, form Fellowships, play daily games, follow official brands and creators, and keep a personal record of their fandom journey.
The fan club is also being built to support the fan groups, creators, channels, and websites that already make Middle-earth fandom so strong. Known inside the club as Heralds, they will be invited to create their own spaces within LOTR.com. The goal is to lift up what already exists, help more fans find it, and give those groups new ways to gather followers, share updates, and create experiences inside the official fan club.
“For decades, fans have built extraordinary communities around Middle-earth with creativity, care, and remarkable commitment,” said Jay Komas, General Manager of Middle-earth Enterprises. “LOTR.com is an opportunity to recognize that passion, support the communities that have helped carry it forward, and create an official space where fans, creators, licensees, and community leaders can participate together.”
“Quests” are one of the main ways members can take part in fan club experiences. A member might scan a code at a convention booth, check in at a panel, answer a lore question, enter a secret phrase, complete an online challenge, or help unlock part of a larger shared adventure. Completing Quests can earn members “Mathoms,” digital keepsakes named after the term for a treasured object in the world of Middle-earth. In the fan club, Mathoms are not simply points or badges. They are a record of participation: a show attended, a creator discovered, a fan group joined, a challenge completed, or a moment shared with fellow fans. Some Mathoms will be common, while others will be genuinely rare, giving each member’s collection its own history and character over time.
The first major community program, Gather the Fellowship, will launch this July around San Diego Comic-Con. Fan Club members will be able to form or join Fellowships and collaborate across online and in-person activities. Attendance at San Diego Comic-Con will not be required to participate. A fan at the convention may complete part of the adventure from the show floor, while another member joins from home. Together, the Fellowship moves forward.
Members will also find games with a Middle-earth twist, including a daily riddle and a palantír-inspired lore challenge, giving fans a reason to return, play, and build their Fan Club record over time.
Official licensees, known inside the club as Merchants, will have a place within LOTR.com to build a page, post announcements, offer rewards, run promotions, and create co-branded Mathoms tied to events, products, booths, packaging, and other fan experiences.
The club will also recognize members of the early 2000s fan club whose names appeared in the Extended Edition film credits, allowing them to search for their name in a special archive and claim a commemorative keepsake. A launch campaign, Give Us a Gold Ring, will invite members to support a formal proposal for a plain gold ring emoji, to be submitted to the Unicode Consortium by the close of San Diego Comic- Con.
A NEW COMMUNITY STANDARD
Everyone is welcome, as long as they welcome everyone.
Newcomers and longtime fans, readers and film fans, gamers, collectors, creators, and community leaders will participate on equal footing.
As part of its commitment to genuine fan engagement, Middle-earth Enterprises brought on longtime community builder CHRIS PIRROTTA as VP Marketing & Fan Experience. Pirrotta co-founded TheOneRing.net in 1998 and helped grow it alongside a global volunteer community that has supported Middle-earth fandom for nearly three decades. He also spent 25 years at Sideshow, where he helped grow one of the world’s leading collector-focused fan businesses. TheOneRing.net continues to operate independently through its volunteer team, while Pirrotta’s day-to-day focus is now on building the official fan club at LOTR.com.
“When we started TheOneRing.net in 1998, the internet still felt like a place you went to find your people,” said Pirrotta. “A lot has changed since then. Too much of the modern internet rewards outrage, pile-ons, and the loudest voice in the room. LOTR.com is being built for something different, inspired by the community at the heart of Middle-earth: a place where everyone has a part to play, whether they arrive as royalty, a seasoned Wizard, a loyal gardener, or someone taking their first step out the door. No one is above anyone else here. That is what makes this work with the Middle-earth Enterprises team so meaningful. This is not just about opening an official site. It is about opening the door wider, with a welcome to all.”
The official fan club for The Lord of the Rings will be free to join. Early access invitations will begin ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, with additional members welcomed in over time as the community grows. New licensees, creators, Heralds, Merchants, and fan groups will be added on an ongoing basis. Fans can visit LOTR.com now to join the early access waitlist.
ABOUT MIDDLE-EARTH ENTERPRISES Middle-earth Enterprises owns exclusive worldwide rights to motion picture, merchandising, stage, and other rights in certain literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Middle-earth Enterprises works with partners around the world to support high-quality films, games, merchandise, stage productions, location-based entertainment, events, and other experiences inspired by these works.
ABOUT EMBRACER GROUP Embracer Group is a global group of creative and entrepreneurial businesses in PC, console and mobile games, as well as other related media. The Group has an extensive catalog of over 400 owned or controlled franchises. With its head office based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer Group has a global presence through its operative groups: THQ Nordic, PLAION, DECA Games, Dark Horse, Freemode and Crystal Dynamics – Eidos. The Group includes 53 internal game development studios and engages over 6,000 talents across nearly 30 countries.
Already a week has passed since Middle-earth March Madness for 2026 came to a close. Thanks to all who voted, discussed, debated, and generally played along! This year our theme was ‘Clash of the Collectibles’; our team of volunteer staffers offered their own favourite collectibles, and then we voted to get that down to 64 items, which became our opening bracket:
Three weeks and six rounds of voting ensued. With thousands of votes placed throughout the contest, we saw items we thought might go all the way – such as LEGO sets and Weta environments – fall in earlier rounds. Finally, just two items remained…
Stained glass vs DVDs
Talk about a David and Goliath match up! Some of the best selling DVDs of all time – the extended editions of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, in box set with collectible statues – versus hand-made, original designs from an independent artist, Geek Orthodox.
At first the contest seemed like it was going to be fairly one-sided, with the DVDs taking an early lead. Gradually, though, the stained glass came back. The final vote margin was 56% to 44% , with the winner being…
Congratulations to Geek Orthodox! A worthy champion, as a creator of unique, beautiful pieces – check them out here.
Here’s how the completed bracket looked:
Thanks again to all who joined the fun. If you have ideas for a future March Madness theme, please let us know – email spymaster@theonering.net See you same time, same place, next year!
Don’t forget, you can always join the discussion with fellow fans, at the Collectibles channel on our Discord.
