The Rings of Power, McKay Doesn't Back Down from Criticism

The Rings of Power will reach its third season without altering the destination set by its creators. Co-writing the series with J. D. Payne is Patrick McKay, who reiterated that the epilogue of the Prime Video production remains what was conceived during the early stages of development, about nine years ago.

The showrunners had envisioned a story structured into five seasons, distributing some fundamental passages of the Second Age from the outset. Among these is the creation of the One Ring by Sauron, planned for the upcoming season. McKay also confirmed that even the final shot of the series has not changed from the original idea.

Finale Already Set But With Room for New Ideas

This does not exclude interventions during writing: McKay distinguishes between the possibility of refining individual passages and the desire to completely overturn the overall structure of the story. The criticism received by the series therefore does not seem to have altered the narrative direction.

Expected on November 11, 2026, the third season will introduce a five-year time jump. Sauron will continue his ascent, while the creation of the One Ring and the return of Celeborn, played by Jamie Campbell Bower, will mark a new phase of the story. Other time jumps are already contemplated by the authors, aware of the need to condense events that, in Tolkien's chronology, unfold over centuries.