How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiere (Release date, time by time zone, and more)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Amid all the buzz surrounding the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, you may have forgotten that another major fantasy franchise is returning with a prequel of its own. Yes, we’re talking about The Lord of the Rings, whose new TV show premieres in just a couple of days. The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and LOTR, during the Second Age of Middle-earth.

The footage we’ve seen of The Rings of Power so far looks gorgeous, and we’re excited to find out whether or not Amazon pulls off such a huge (and expensive) project. Actress Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud) stars as Galadriel, a character fans of the series will be familiar with.

Because this is an Amazon Prime Video release, you might not be sure of when exactly The Rings of Power will come out. Unlike streamers like Netflix or Disney+, Prime Video can be inconsistent in the way they release things. So here’s everything you need to know on how to watch the premiere of The Lord of the Rings prequel.

The Rings of Power episodes

As a treat for us, Prime Video is releasing not only the premiere this week, but the second episode as well. Be sure to check out episode 1, “Shadow of the Past,” and stick around for Episode 2. The first season is set to have eight episodes.

What time is The Rings of Power releasing? (By time zone)

The Rings of Power release date is September 2, 2022, but for those living in the United States, the first two episodes will actually be released on Prime Video on the evening of September 1. “Shadow of the Past” and Episode 2 will be available Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET. According to TVGuide, here’s how the first week will play out:

  • 6 p.m. PDT // Thursday, September 1
  • 9 p.m. EDT // Thursday, September 1
  • 2 a.m. UK // Friday, September 2
  • 3 a.m. CEST // Friday, September 2
  • 6:30 a.m. IST // Friday, September 2
  • 10 a.m. JST // Friday, September 2
  • 11 a.m. AU // Friday, September 2
  • 1 p.m. NZ // Friday, September 2

This won’t be the same release schedule for future episodes, however. Starting next week, all new episodes of The Rings of Power will hit Prime Video at 12:00 a.m. EST on Fridays.

We’ll be covering The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power all season long here at Winter is Coming, so don’t forget to check back in with us for more to come!

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