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

Cirdan in The Rings of Power
(Image credit: Prime Video)

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.

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:

The xenomorph on the cover of Total Film's Alien: Romulus issue

(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. 

Total Film subscriber offer

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

Jack Shepherd is the former Senior Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar. Jack used to work at The Independent as a general culture writer before specializing in TV and film for the likes of GR+, Total Film, SFX, and others. You can now find Jack working as a freelance journalist and editor.

Read more
Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things 4
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 adds Stranger Things star and Eddie Marsan to cast
Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things
The Rings of Power newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower has 'revealed' his season 3 character – but it could be a Sauron-style misdirect
Charlie Vickers as Annatar and Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in The Rings of Power season 2 finale (2024)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 release date speculation, cast, plot, and more news
Annatar and Celebrimbor in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7
The Rings of Power has been renewed for season 3 – and the show is jumping ahead several years
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
You probably missed this heartbreaking Celebrimbor detail in The Rings of Power
Rosamund Pike as Moiraine and Daniel Henney as Lan in The Wheel of Time season 3
The Wheel of Time showrunner explains the one big benefit of being Prime Video's lesser-known fantasy series: "Amazon's letting us fly our freak flag!"
Latest in Fantasy Shows
Kratos in God of War Ragnarök
God of War TV show writer reveals Amazon has already ordered two seasons, and that he can’t play the video games at all
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson series gets unusually early renewal for season 3 before upcoming season 2 even airs
George R.R. Martin
Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has a new update on The Winds of Winter: "I wish it would come faster"
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
HBO boss says new Game of Thrones spin-off's battles "match" the mainline series at a "fraction of the price"
Abubakar Salim in House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon season 3's opening battle is "beastly", according to one of the show's stars
Jamie Campbell Bower in Stranger Things
The Rings of Power newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower has 'revealed' his season 3 character – but it could be a Sauron-style misdirect
Latest in News
A screenshot from MindsEye showing a character leaning out of a car, shooting another car with a gun.
GTA veteran says the games industry needs to "get smarter" about what people actually want: "There are so many games, and I think we're starting to feel the effects"
Posing with a rifle in the Fallout 76 Ghoul update
Fallout 76's art director "had to fight really hard" so Bethesda would make the MMO's map bigger than Skyrim's
Minecraft movie image of Jack Black as steve
Don't expect Minecraft to go free-to-play anytime soon, as Mojang says "It doesn't really work with the way we built it"
Yasuke looking over the water to a shrine during sunset in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows has an entire island stuffed with adorable kittens you need to check out, and it's based on an actual Japanese cat paradise
phase zero key art showing zombies in a hallway
Former Witcher 3 and Dying Light devs reveal their Resident Evil homage, complete with PS1-style fixed cameras
Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis System was only created because WB Games wanted something to combat Batman Arkham Asylum's second-hand sales, exec says