How to Watch Rings of Power: Lord of the Rings Series in 2023: A New Vision of Middle-Earth
After many years of waiting, the new Lord of the Rings TV show is finally here. Keep reading to learn all about where and how to watch Rings of Power for free.
— Last Updated: 2023-03-20T11:58:49+00:00 Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska
With the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, fans are getting the first piece of live-action entertainment set in Tolkien’s world in almost a decade. If you’ve been excited to return to Middle-earth, you might be wondering where and how to watch Rings of Power once the episodes start dropping on September 2.
Key Takeaways:
- The first episode of The Rings of Power premieres in all countries and territories worldwide where Amazon Prime Video is available on Sept. 2, 2022.
- There are a handful of countries where you will need a VPN to access the TV series, including China, Russia, Iran and Syria.
- The best VPN to access Amazon Prime Video and stream the new Lord of the Rings TV series is ExpressVPN, though NordVPN is also a good option.
The series is only available on Amazon Prime Video, which means that you’ll have to use a VPN to watch it if you’re located in one of the few countries where the service isn’t available, like China, Russia or Syria. Any of the best VPNs for streaming will do a good job here, but our favorite is ExpressVPN.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
The first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power contains eight episodes.
There is currently only one season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but the second season is already in development and the showrunners have stated that they expect the TV show to run for five seasons.
How to Watch Rings of Power: Release Date on Amazon Prime Video
Since the new Lord of the Rings show is being produced by Amazon Studios, it’s no surprise that it’s available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. The streaming service is available in the vast majority of the world, so chances are all you need is a Prime Video subscription to start streaming The Rings of Power.
The release date for The Rings of Power is set for Sept. 2, 2022, launching globally wherever Amazon Prime Video is available.
The rights for the show came at a whopping $250 million — a third of the total cost of roughly $715 million — so Amazon will no doubt be looking to get its money’s worth, with the show already being planned to run for five seasons.
What Is the LOTR: Rings of Power Series About?
The Prime Video series brings us back to Middle-earth, but in the second age, thousands of years before the events covered by the Lord of the Rings movies.
Rather than a tale of unlikely heroes and underdogs overcoming great darkness, The Rings of Power will show us some of the greatest heroes in Middle-earth’s history as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of its greatest villain after a period of relative peace.
From what we’ve already seen, it’s clear that the show will take us across the far reaches of the map of Middle-earth, from the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the Elf capital, and all the way to the breathtaking island kingdom of Numenor.
As the title suggests, we’ll also see the forging of the Rings of Power, including the One Ring, but whether this takes place in season 1 remains to be seen. You can watch the trailer here.
Do I Need to Watch Lord of the Rings to Understand the Rings of Power Series?
No, you can technically watch The Rings of Power without having seen the original trilogy of films (or read the books).
Tolkien himself didn’t flesh out the covered time period (the second age) in any particular detail, with most of what we know coming from appendices and other works. This means the showrunners have a great degree of creative freedom, as they’ll have to fill in a lot of blanks.
That said, there are shared characters between the works, so if you want to catch up on The Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) movies, they’re all available in both theatrical and extended cuts on HBO Max. Check out our guide on how to watch HBO Max and our list of the best HBO Max VPNs to learn more.
Rings of Power Series Cast & Characters
The Rings of Power cast is extensive and filled with both new characters and ones we’ve already seen in live-action before, though no actors from the Peter Jackson trilogy (produced by New Line Cinema rather than Amazon) will be reprising their roles.
Familiar characters include Elrond (played by Robert Aramayo) and Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark). They’re joined by an ensemble cast of characters, though most of the actors are relatively unknown, much as it was with the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you want to know the entire cast, then check out the list below.
- Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel
- Robert Aramayo as Elrond
- Owain Arthur as Durin IV
- Maxim Baldry as Isildur
- Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn
- Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
- Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir
- Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor
- Trystan Gravelle as Ar-Pharazôn
- Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows
- Ema Horvath as Eärien
- Markella Kavenagh as Elanor “Nori” Brandyfoot
- Simon Merrells as Trevyn
- Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
- Sophia Nomvete as Disa
- Lloyd Owen as Elendil
- Megan Richards as Poppy Proudfellow
- Dylan Smith as Largo Brandyfoot
- Charlie Vickers as Halbrand
- Leon Wadham as Kemen
- Benjamin Walker as High King Gil-galad
- Daniel Weyman as The Stranger
- Sara Zwangobani as Marigold Brandyfoot
How to Watch Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power With a VPN
Luckily, even if you’re in a country where Amazon Prime Video isn’t available, getting around this is easy with a VPN. We’ll use ExpressVPN for these instructions, but it will work similarly with most VPNs.
- Sign Up for a VPN
Head to ExpressVPN’s website, click on “get ExpressVPN” and pick the plan that suits you best.
- Install the VPN
Go to the “products” tab on the website and choose your platform. Download the app and follow the installation instructions.
- Connect to a VPN Server in a Supported Country
Connect to a VPN server in a country that Amazon Prime Video covers, which is any country but China, Russia, Iran, Syria and North Korea. Click the power button to connect.
- Sign Up for Amazon Prime Video
Sign up for a 30-day free trial to Amazon Prime Video using a new Amazon account. Make sure you pick an address and country that you’re connected to through the VPN.
- Log In and Start Streaming
Once you’ve signed up, simply log in to your Amazon Prime Video account and search for “Rings of Power” or “Lord of the Rings.” Click on the result and start streaming.
How to Watch Rings of Power for Free
If you want to watch the new Lord of the Rings episodes for free, you’re in luck — Amazon Prime Video offers a 30-day free trial. However, with eight episodes being released weekly and the Prime Video free trial is only 30 days, it won’t cover the length of The Rings of Power first-season run.
Because of that, you’ll either need to purchase an Amazon gift card in order to continue paying for your subscription, or wait until Oct. 21, 2022 (one month before the final episode airs) before signing up — you’ll have four weeks to watch the eight episodes.
If you’re using a VPN to access Prime Video, you’ll need to make sure to use the VPN’s money-back guarantee, though note that these are usually limited to 30 days, just like the length of the Prime Video trial.
The Best VPNs for Watching Rings of Power
If you’re located in a country where access to Amazon Prime Video is restricted, here are our two top VPN picks to unblock the streaming service.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.66 per month
- Provider website: expressvpn.com
Pros:
- Very fast
- Vast server network
- Unblocks major streaming apps
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- No ad blocker
ExpressVPN is a lightning-fast VPN that has no problems bypassing the VPN restrictions on Amazon Prime Video, or any other streaming service we’ve tested.
Although it’s a bit expensive, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can test it out risk-free and even watch all the episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for free if you time it right. Check out our full ExpressVPN review for all the details.
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.49 per month
- Provider website: nordvpn.com
Pros:
- Very fast
- Great streaming speeds
- Good security & privacy
Cons:
- Expensive monthly plan
- No phone support
Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN also features blazing speeds, top-notch security and privacy, and excellent streaming performance. This all makes it one of the best VPNs for accessing Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services.
NordVPN is also more affordable than ExpressVPN, and it also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. You can read more about the VPN in our full NordVPN review.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
Final Thoughts
That’s the end of our guide on how and where to watch Rings of Power, no matter where you might be in the world. If you’re in a restricted country, we think ExpressVPN is the way to go, especially as its 30-day money-back guarantee combined with Amazon Prime Video’s free trial means you can watch the show without spending a penny.
If you encounter any problem when accessing Amazon Prime Video, worry not. We have a complete guide on how to sidestep most of these issues and watch Amazon Prime Video without a struggle.
Now that you know how to watch Rings of Power, you can explore our entertainment archive to find more options to watch your favorite movies. We have complete guides on how to watch Lord of the Rings, House of Dragon, Andor, Heroes and Lost.
What did you think of our guide? Are you excited to return to Middle-earth for the first time in almost a decade? Do you need a VPN to do so? If so, which will you use? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.
