Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power First Reactions Are Out

By Spencer Perry - May 17, 2022 03:50 pm EDT

Though the first episode The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will not premier on Amazon Prime Video until this September, the streamer invited several Tolkien-fans to view some early footage from the show. After being shown the series, and speaking with some of the creatives involved in the series, several outlets that are dyed in the wool fans of the Lord of the Rings texts (and its many spinoffs) have shared their thoughts. Several seemed to still have restrained optimism about the series and perhaps even more impressive to many over the visuals of the show itself was getting to talk with the showrunners, J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Check out the varied reactions below!

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series will be released on Friday, September 2, 2022, on Prime Video, with new episodes being released weekly. Amazon's official description for the upcoming series reads as follows: "The new epic drama brings to screens for the very first time J.R.R. Tolkien's fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. Beginning in a time of relative peace, thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' books, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth."

Confirmed cast members that will star in the series includes Robert Aramayo (Game of Thrones, The King's Man), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Markella Kavenagh (Picnic at Hanging Rock), Morfydd Clark (His Dark Materials), Ema Horvath (Like.Share.Follow., Don't Look Deeper), Benjamin Walker (Jessica Jones), Charles Edwards (The Crown), Will Fletcher (The Girl Who Fell), Amelie Child-Villiers (The Machine), and newcomer Beau Cassidy, in addition to many more.

Feels like a return to the comfortable universe we all love

Let’s not bury the lede. Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power looks like it should, sounds like it should, and feels like a return to the comfortable universe we all love. #LOTRROP pic.twitter.com/xhTBm3OY1G
— TheOneRing.net (@theoneringnet) May 9, 2022

Looking forward to the show even more now

3/ They know their Tolkien and pretty much every concern and challenge I’ve thought about the last few years in adapting the Second Age, they’ve clearly worked through themselves.
— Digital Tolkien Project (@DigitalTolkien) May 9, 2022

Feeling very optimistic

@LOTROnPrime had me and @tolkienprof to London last week to see bits of the #RingsofPower, Tolkien’s Oxford, & to meet the show runners, who kept up with the best of us. Their passion & knowledge made me feel like they were one of us;they get it. I’m feeling very optimistic! pic.twitter.com/dBWq3x4v9w
— Dr. Maggie Parke (@MaggieParke) May 9, 2022

The scale and scope of this production truly shining through

…The footage shown was encouraging with the scale and scope of this production truly shining through, but still left me with a few lingering concerns left unanswered. The day in Oxford was amazing and meeting all the other content creators was just pure joy!

2/2
— Fellowship of Fans (@FellowshipFans) May 9, 2022

Unforgettable experience

On the second day, in London, the series was aired and a Q&A with the showrunners. 🗣
Without a doubt, it was an unforgettable experience and we are back very satisfied with what we saw. 🧝🏻 pic.twitter.com/UVZJ04zWkR
— Tolkien Talk (@TolkienTalkBR) May 9, 2022

From 'cautious optimism' to 'restrained anticipation'

Alan and Shawn were invited to London by Amazon Prime Video to view a sneak peek of footage from The Rings of Power, and to meet the showrunners! We can say that we have moved from 'cautious optimism' to 'restrained anticipation', and are looking forward to telling you more!
— The Prancing Pony Podcast (@prancingponypod) May 9, 2022

The show is in VERY good hands.

Last week, I was invited by the @LOTRonPrime folks, along with a bunch of other internet Tolkien folks, to attend an advanced screening of some footage from the #RingsofPower show and to meet the showrunners. I must say: after meeting them, I feel the show is in VERY good hands.
— Tolkien Professor (@tolkienprof) May 9, 2022