Amazon's 'The Lord of the Rings' TV Series Reveals Official Synopsis

After more than a year of teasers, Amazon Studios finally shared the official synopsis of its upcoming The Lord of the Rings series.

Set to take place in the Second Age — which lasted more than 3,400 years — the synopsis will see the rise of “the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness”:

“Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.”

The “greatest villain” could be referring to Sauron, who rose again during the early years of the Second Age. This period saw the creation of the One Ring and the War of the Last Alliance — the latter was briefly discussed in Fellowship of the Ring — that saw Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron’s fingers.

The upcoming series will feature a cast that includes Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers and Daniel Weyman. Just like its big screen counterparts, filming was reportedly done in New Zealand.

Stay tuned for an official trailer and release date.

In other entertainment news, watch the full trailer of the Russo Brothers’ Cherry starring Tom Holland.