'The Rings of Power's New Orc Could Officially Turn the Tide Against Sauron

Published Jul 31, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Summary Collider's Perri Nemiroff chats with the showrunners and stars of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power at SDCC 2026. The crew discuss Sauron's role in Season 3, at the height of the War of the Elves. They also tease new character details and relationships and highlight the mastery of craft behind the scenes. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the opportunity to sit down with the showrunners, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and cast members of Prime Video’s hit prequel series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, to find out what fans can expect from the upcoming Season 3. On November 11, we return to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth at the height of the War of the Elves, when Sauron (Charlie Vickers), as the Dark Lord, is ready and determined to craft the One Ring. The sprawling fantasy series welcomes back many returning cast members, and introduces Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn, Eddie Marsan as Thráin, Simon Pegg as the voice of the Balrog, and Andrew Richardson as Anárion — plus a couple of others the cast will tease, including a wholly original character. Check out our two interviews with the cast and showrunners below, in which stars Benjamin Walker, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniel Weyman, Vickers, Owain Arthur, and Ismael Cruz Córdova, along with Payne and McKay, prepare us for what’s to come, and share what it’s like behind the scenes, seeing masters of their craft bring Rings of Power to life, from the actors to the unsung heroes. Sauron Faces a New Challenge in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 Image via Prime Video First up, Payne hints at Sauron’s creative struggles this season, and why what he did to Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) will come back to haunt him. Vickers, Addai-Robinson, who plays Míriel, Weyman, who plays Gandalf, and Walker, who plays Gil-galad, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their characters at the beginning of Season 3, and highlight the performances of their new co-stars, Bower, who plays Celeborn this season, and Zubin Varla, who will play Khamûl the Easterling. For all this and more on what's to come, check out the video above, with a time index provided below. 00:54 - J.D. Payne discusses how Season 3 centers on Sauron’s growing self-doubt and the struggles he faces to forge the One Ring. 02:12 - The cast discuss each character’s greatest strength and greatest weakness for Season 3. 06:26 - Which cast members delivered impressive and inspiring performances? 12:50 - The crew highlight the behind-the-scenes artists who raised the bar with their craftsmanship. 'Rings of Power' Season 3's Biggest Wild Card Is an Orc You Might Actually Root For Eddie Marsan and Adam Young join the Season 3 cast in exciting new roles! Finally, Nemiroff spoke with McKay, Córdova, who plays Arondir, and Arthur, who plays Prince Durin IV. During their chat, McKay expands on Sauron’s role this season, explaining how he becomes “full-metal” Sauron, the legendary villain LOTR fans are familiar with. Plus, Córdova and Arthur share details about Rings of Power’s newest characters — Durin’s questionable older brother, Thráin, played by Marsan, and an original character, an Orc named Marnûkh, played by Adam Young, who Córdova calls “an icon in the making.” You can catch the full interview in the video above, with a time index below. 00:33 - Patrick McKay on why Season 3 centers on a darker, "full-metal" Sauron. 02:25 - Ismael Cruz Córdova praises Adam Young's performance as Marnûkh. 04:29 - McKay previews the reluctant alliance between Arondir, Galadriel, and Marnûkh. 07:17 - Owain Arthur reflects on reuniting with Eddie Marsan as Durin and Thráin. 10:37 - The trio spotlight behind-the-scenes crew members who make Rings of Power a cinematic feat. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres on Prime Video on November 11. Release Date September 1, 2022 Network Amazon Prime Video Showrunner John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip Directors J.A. Bayona, Sanaa Hamri Writers Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings