In the weeks ahead, the real battle won’t be on Middle-earth. Instead, it will unfold between rival fantasy franchises: The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Prime Video marked out the premiere date for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power a year ago, and HBO Max challenged them by dropping House of the Dragon right in front of it. Which franchise will reign supreme in the hearts and minds of fans? That remains to be seen, but Prime Video’s final trailer for The Rings of Power is making one more push for dominance.
Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel is the key figure in the new trailer, and it gives her a personal motivation in the war against the darkness. Galadriel’s brother laid down his life in defense of Middle-earth, and she has taken up his cause as her own. This is why she refuses to put down her sword and accept a life of peace. Galadriel senses the return of evil, even if she doesn’t yet know that Sauron is preparing his boldest move yet to remake the world in his image.
But not even a mighty warrior like Galadriel can do it alone. That’s why the trailer gives us a glimpse of many of the characters that will be her allies. You could even call them Galadriel’s Fellowship. Their number includes Maxim Baldry’s Isildur, the son of the king who has his own dark destiny in the months and years ahead.
This series features an incredibly massive cast, including Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Owain Arthur as Durin IV, Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn, Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir, Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor, Markella Kavenagh as Elanor “Nori” Brandyfoot, Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel, and Lloyd Owen as Elendil.
The first episode of The Rings of Power will premiere on September 1, with the second episode following on September 2. The remaining episodes will premiere weekly on Prime Video.
