The Rings of Power showrunners tease season 2’s new characters, including a popular Lord of the Rings character

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is bringing a familiar face from Tolkien’s books to Middle-earth for its second season.

Actor Ben Daniels will portray Círdan, better known as Círdan the Shipwright, an elf who is among the most elderly and wise of his race who is later bestowed one of the titular Rings of Power.

Where Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy left him quite literally lurking in the background, the Prime Video series’ continuing adventures in the Second Age will bring with it a more fleshed-out role for Círdan, one that includes acting as mentor to Elrond (Robert Aramayo)

“It was exciting, selfishly, to be a part of that character’s introduction, because he’s such an amazing character,” Aramayo tells Total Film in our new issue out on Thursday, July 19, which features Alien: Romulus on the cover. “He’s absolutely fascinating and so unique.”

Círdan isn’t the only newcomer this season, with Game of Thrones actor Ciarán Hinds making the leap from Westeros to Middle-earth as a wizard hunting down Daniel Weyman’s mysterious figure (who may or may not be Gandalf).

His arrival marks a Middle-earth first, as he traverses the landscape of Rhûn, which means we’ll witness deserts for the first time in Tolkien’s world.

“We really are excited for the audience to see where that journey goes,” co-showrunner Patrick McKay teases.

Pre-order the Alien: Romulus issue of Total Film

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 starts streaming on Prime Video from August 29. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, July 19.

Check out the covers below:

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios/Disney)

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. You’ll get every issue before it’s in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers. 

(Image credit: Total Film/20th Century Studios/Disney/Marvel Studios/Warner Bros/Prime Video/Universal)