Five Behind The Scenes Facts About 'The Rings Of Power'

TV & Film

Sep 29

Whether you love or hate Amazon’s The Rings of Power, there is no denying the impact that the series is having on the Lord of the Rings fandom. Not only has the show made beloved characters more dynamic, but it has also helped fans to understand some of the events and places that are mentioned in the original films. As The Rings of Power season two approaches its season finale, I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the behind-the-scenes facts about the series. Warning! May contain spoilers for The Rings of Power season one!!

5. Expensive Taste

If you have seen even an episode of the series, then you know how stunningly beautiful it is. This came at a high price because The Rings of Power currently holds the title of the most expensive series ever made. The show is planned to be roughly 50 hours broken up over five seasons. While there was some worry during the early episodes of season two that the show might be canceled due to low viewership, the show is still expected to complete this five-season plan. The first season of the show had an estimated budget of $465 million, and season two had a budget of $700 million.

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4. A Difficult Task

According to executive producer Lindsey Weber, the most difficult scene to film in all of season one was when Elrond was having a rock-breaking contest with Durin. She said that this was the most complex and technical scene because it was a small space where everyone needed to be one size except for one person who had to be taller. Each movement required a “magic trick” which Weber said made for some very difficult math problems. I love this scene, and I cannot imagine how difficult this was to execute!

3. Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe

During a Comic-Con panel in 2022, it was revealed that scripts for the season finale were sent out with huge portions redacted. Only the cast members who were in the season finale knew how the first season was going to end. The rest of the cast had to wait and watch like the rest of us! With social media providing the perfect place for both intentional and unintentional leaks, I am really glad that they chose to keep most of the cast in the dark. They even had a watch party together for the first three episodes. According to the cast, they are fans of the show, each other, and the stories they are telling.

2. Practical Effects Always

Most fans of the original trilogy know that Peter Jackson used practical effects whenever he could. This is apparently something that the show’s creators chose to do as well. Not only is most of the storm scene with Galadriel and Sauron done with practical effects, but the height difference between the Stranger and the harfoots was done using forced perspective. This is easily one of the best things about the films and the series!

1. Who Is Galadriel?

It was revealed that Tolkien had a difficult time deciding who Galadriel was. He revised her stories up until his death, routinely contradicting himself on her personality and when important milestones, like her marriage, happened. The showrunners said that they pulled from all of these notes to create the young Galadriel that we see in the show. This really isn’t surprising to hear because her character is easily one of the most complex I have ever seen.

Season one and the first seven episodes of season two of The Rings of Power are available to stream on Amazon Prime. The season finale will be available to stream on the platform on Thursday, October 3.

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