As part of their new deal with Amazon MGM Studios, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne are already at work on breaking stories for Season 3 of the Prime Video series. That comes as Prime Video preps a premiere later this year for Season 2 of the series.
A Season 3 writers room isn’t yet open, but the showrunners are at work on the initial story outline. According to the studio, it’s likely that Season 3 of “The Rings of Power” will shoot at Shepperton Studios in the U.K., via a new production facility. The first two seasons were filmed at Bray Studios.
Payne and McKay wrote and exec produced Season 1 of “The Rings of Power” and were also showrunners on Season 2. They’ve now sealed an exclusive overall deal with Amazon MGM Studios to launch their own shingle, 10:40 PM Productions. Under the three-year deal, Amazon MGM Studios holds exclusive rights on all TV projects.
According to Amazon, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (which launched in fall 2022) was the most-watched Amazon Original in every region and debuted at #1 on Nielsen’s streaming chart.
“We began this remarkable journey with JD and Patrick more than five and a half years ago and have never looked back,” Amazon MGM Studios TV head Vernon Sanders said in a statement. “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.”
Payne and McKay are repped by CAA and attorney Barry Littman. THR first broke the news.
