Patrick McKay and JD Payne, showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, are extending their partnership with Amazon, as the duo has signed a new three-year deal with the company and begun early work on Season 3.
Amazon confirmed the news in a press release obtained by IGN today, first reported by THR. The deal also launches McKay and Payne's new production company, dubbed 10:40PM Productions.
"We began this remarkable journey with JD and Patrick more than five and a half years ago and have never looked back," Amazon MG Studios head of television, Vernon Sanders, wrote in a press release. "We continue to be amazed by the scope and scale of their vision and the enormous global success achieved by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in its record-breaking first season. We can't wait for Prime Video customers to experience the epic adventure and high-stakes drama that JD and Patrick are continuing to build throughout season two and beyond. Naturally, the studio is thrilled to extend our overall deal with these brilliant creative minds as they continue to deliver on their passion for great storytelling."
Notably, Amazon also said in the announcement that McKay and Payne have begun work on Season 3 of Rings of Power. We should note that this is very early work - the writers' room has not yet opened, and the showrunners have just "started to break the initial story outline," per Amazon - but it's the first official word of a potential third season.
Amazon adds that, by the time production on Season 3 is expected to begin, it's set to move from Bray Studios to another location also in the U.K., a "brand new production facility at nearby Shepperton Studios."
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiered in 2022 on Prime Video. Before the show even premiered, Amazon announced in 2019 that it would be renewed for a second season, which is set to premiere sometime this year.
In our review of the first season of The Rings of Power, IGN said: "Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power captures the epic scope and beauty of Tolkien's work."
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
