The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power took its time with the first season, fleshing out the ensemble cast of characters that audiences will follow for the next five seasons. When showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne conceptualized the Tolkien epic, they realized certain scenes would need to be moved around to properly tell the story.
During an interview with Deadline, The Rings of Power executive producer Lindsey Weber discussed several key moments intended to be in the first season, which was inevitably pushed to the upcoming second installment. “There are things that we saved that were going to be in the final bit of the season that we thought, ‘Oh, it’s just too big right now to do, to fit that in with everything else and let’s save it,’” Weber explains. Luckily, fans can expect the big moments to be presented next season. “We’re actually doing some of those things now in Season 2. I think it’s really exciting to be exploring them and have the room to do it the way we really wanted to, so we weren’t giving anything short shrift.”
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Following the success and viewership of the first season, fans can expect an even grander scale in the second. Though Weber has disputed the reported budget in the past, the amount of work and money that went into creating the Tolkien adaptation is still evident. With Sauron’s identity finally revealed, audiences should be in for an excellent eight episodes when the upcoming season arrives.
The Rings of Power Showrunners Promise a Quicker Pace in Season 2
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The Rings of Power featured a ton of characters in the first season, and it took several episodes to fully flesh out who they were before the season delved into the action. Fans are eager to see where season 2 brings them, and showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne explain why the slower pace was necessary for season 1.
Unfortunately, fans may have a bit of a wait ahead of them, as the follow-up season could be years away, according to McKay. Filming has already begun on season 2, however, the move to the UK could be a significant change for the franchise, which has roots in New Zealand since Peter Jackson’s trilogies. For now, fans can enjoy the first season of The Rings of Power, with all eight episodes available to stream on Prime Video.
“I hope that people can key in for the journey. A lot of blockbusters have a breakneck pace where you’re wheeled from one set piece to the next until it all collapses under its own weight. Tolkien will take his time and let you sink into characters, to a journey, and journeys can be hard in Tolkien. I hope people will have the patience to settle in for a Tolkien epic.”
