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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is likely to be one of the biggest releases of 2022, and the Prime Video series just made its debut. The first two episodes premiered on the platform on Sept. 1, pulling fans back into J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. But how many episodes can viewers expect from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1, and what does its release schedule look like?

How many episodes is ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 1?

Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' for our article covering its episode count and release schedule. Her blonde hair is pulled back, and she's wearing armor.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel | Matt Grace/Prime Video

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power sets the stage for an epic fantasy tale with its first two episodes, but how many installments can fans expect in season 1?

According to Amazon, the first season will span eight episodes in total. If they follow the premiere’s lead, they’ll each be around an hour long — perhaps slightly more.

After its premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will adopt a weekly release schedule, dropping one chapter at a time until the season 1 finale. So, when exactly does each installment arrive?

‘The Rings of Power’ release schedule on Prime Video

Following the show’s two-episode premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will drop new episodes weekly. However, when they hit Prime Video depends on your location.

U.S. viewers on the West coast can look for new installments at 9 p.m. PT on Thursday nights, while those on the East coast can expect them at 12 a.m. ET on Friday. In most locations, they’ll come out on Friday.

Find the full release schedule for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power below:

  • Episodes 1-2: Sept. 1/2
  • Episode 3: Sept. 8/9
  • Episode 4: Sept. 15/16
  • Episode 5: Sept. 22/23
  • Episode 6: Sept. 29/30
  • Episode 7: Oct. 6/7
  • Episode 8: Oct. 13/14

The coming episodes will set the stage for the rest of The Lord of the Rings show, which will span a total of five seasons. And the creators already know exactly where they’re headed with this story. In fact, they have it mapped out right down to the final shot.

‘The Lord of the Rings’ show will run for 5 seasons

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Before The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power even debuted, the series received a five-season order from Amazon Studios — meaning fans don’t need to fret over whether or not this story will continue.

During an interview with Empire, showrunner JD Payne confirmed that the creators have everything mapped out. And according to him, Amazon purchased all five seasons they’d planned for:

“We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be. The rights that Amazon bought were for a 50-hour show. They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas — this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. There are things in the first season that don’t pay off until season 5.”

That leaves viewers plenty to look forward to from this prequel — though they’ve barely even scratched the surface of season 1. We’ll have to wait for more episodes to get a better idea of where The Rings of Power is headed.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Prime Video.

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