The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has added two major stars to the cast. The Prime Video fantasy series is adapted from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and takes place thousands of years before Frodo’s adventure to destroy the One Ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It features a vast ensemble cast that includes familiar characters such as Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and Sauron (Charlie Vickers). The Rings of Power season 3 was officially confirmed in February, four months after the season 2 finale aired in October 2024.
Prime Video has now announced that Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan have joined the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3, which is in pre-production and is set to begin filming in the spring. Bower will be a series regular, playing what Deadline reports is a major character who is a “handsome high-born knight” and could possibly be a love interest for Galadriel. Marsan will play a recurring character who has a brother, and who Deadline suggests may be a dwarf.
What This Means For The Rings Of Power Season 3
The Show Is Courting Bigger Stars
Although neither Jamie Campbell Bower nor Eddie Marsan is necessarily a household name, both stars represent a shift in the process for assembling the Rings of Power cast. Although the show boasts a huge ensemble, the cast is largely made up of unknown and up-and-coming actors, with the most notable names in previous seasons likely being Sir Lenny Henry, the co-founder of the British charity Comic Relief, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter‘s Benjamin Walker. However, these new additions reveal that the show is now seeking out actors who are more recognizable.
Benjamin Walker is likely better known for his stage roles in musicals including American Psycho and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.
Although Bower has also appeared in projects including the Twlight franchise, Camelot, and Sweeney Todd, he is likely best known for having joined the Stranger Things cast as the monstrous Vecna in season 4. Marsan is also an established television performer who is likely best known for his role as Ray’s older brother Terry Donovan on Ray Donovan, though he is also known for movies including Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde, Vice, The World’s End, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Snow White and the Huntsman.
Our Take On The Rings Of Power Season 3 Casting Announcement
There’s Likely A Reason For This New Approach
It is possible that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power bringing on stars who are more notable than usual is part of a concentrated effort to bring new audiences to the fantasy series. Although season 1 of the big-budget show had Prime Video’s biggest premiere in history, season 2’s premiere had half that number, so season 3 may be seeking out new avenues to pique the interest of audiences and prevent viewership from declining.
Source: Prime Video & Deadline
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
7/10
- Release Date
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September 1, 2022
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
- Showrunner
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John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip
- Directors
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J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri
- Writers
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Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams