Gandalf, Sauron and Celeborn will be revealed in season 3 of Rings of Power

The Rings of Power: the start of season 3 explained

ByLeila November 12, 2026November 12, 2026

“This season is Full Metal Sauron!” Showrunner JD Payne deciphers for Première how to situate season 3 in the chronology of Middle-earth, and in the wake of this jump in time…

Return to Middle Earth for Lord of the Rings fans.

Season 3 of Rings of Power has just debuted on Prime Video. And the series resumes its course after a vast jump in time. Five years have passed… Sauron is now the master of Mordor and seeks to forge the One Ring, while he enslaves Men and tries to subdue the Elves and Dwarves. Galadriel is still after him, and Númenor finds itself at a tipping point. “It’s important to know how to restart the dynamic,” showrunner JD Payne explains to Première to justify this narrative choice.

“We think we know where we are in the story and suddenly there’s this jump in time. We’ve moved the pawns on the chessboard. It’s a bit like a reset. It forces the spectators to dive back into the story and establish connections…

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Leila

Leila is the editor-in-chief at DTmovies, leading the charge with her team to deliver engaging cinema and series content. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a passion for the stories behind the screen, she is the creative backbone that drives the site’s editorial excellence. Her expertise and dedication have established DTmovies as a go-to source for film and series enthusiasts.