The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Reveals Key Character to Series

Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series is debuting in September, and Empire Magazine has been showcasing the highly-anticipated series in a big way. They spoke to showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay who explained they are not trying to compete with Peter Jackson's iconic trilogy. The magazine also offered a first look at snow trolls as well as the Harfoots, who are ancestors of Hobbits. During the conversation, they also revealed information about Celebrimbor, the Elf being played by Charles Edwards who is partly responsible for the creation of the infamous rings. The character was pulled directly from author J.R.R. Tolkien's extensive Legendarium.

"We're dealing with one of the greatest villains that's ever been created in Sauron," Payne explained. "And one of the central figures in the story is the character of Celebrimbor. He's an Elven smith who was manipulated into helping create the Rings of Power. We're excited to be bringing him to Middle-earth. He's very mysterious." You can check out a photo of the character below:

"Lord of the Rings doesn't skirt over the darkness," Payne added. "It takes you to the steps of Cirith Ungol and the lair of Shelob, where friends are betraying each other and characters are being dragged into Mordor. It's a harrowing experience you go through. But in the end, there's always a star in the sky that says, 'Keep going.' We wanted to find that spirit in this series." 

During the chat, Payne revealed they have mapped out a five-season plan for the series. 

We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be," Payne explained. "The rights that Amazon bought were for a 50-hour show. They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas – this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle and end. There are things in the first season that don't pay off until Season 5."

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power takes place 1,000 years before Lord of the Rings and is set during Middle-earth's Second Age. It begins during a time of relative peace following the defeat of Morgoth, Sauron's master. The series chronicles the lives and adventures of its ensemble cast and promises to visit the Misty Mountains, the forest elf-capital of Lindon, and the shores of the island kingdom of Númenor. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will debut on Prime Video on September 2nd.