Fans are readying for a return to JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth thanks to a new series coming to Amazon Prime Video. Titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the show takes place thousands of years before the events of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films. It is considered the most expensive series in television history, costing $465 million to make.
So for those who can’t wait until September 2, here’s everything you need to know.
When will ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ be released?
The Rings of Power will have its premiere on Amazon Prime on September 2. The first season consists of eight episodes, with a new episode released every week.
What is the plot for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power'?
Set thousands of years before the events in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings during Tolkien's the Second Age, a much younger Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark) takes front and centre stage as she travels to the darkest recesses of Middle-Earth.
She and her small group of fighters are tracking down Morgoth and his forces — who were believed to have been defeated. Although Middle-Earth is seemingly at peace, Galadriel is not convinced.
Series creators Patrick McKay and J D Payne have offered some more clues as to the plotline, with McKay telling a press conference: "You have these iconic rings: three for the Elves, seven for the Dwarves, and nine for the Men, and we asked what these cultures were like before the ring.
“What would have happened in them that would make the rings an attractive offer? What problems were the rings solving?”
The main teaser has also offered some more hints into the storyline.
"Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," Amazon Prime said when it launched the first teaser.
"From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Numenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone."
“The Rings of Power unites all the major stories of Middle-earth’s Second Age: the forging of the rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic tale of Numenor, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men," said Payne and McKay.
"Until now, audiences have only seen on-screen the story of the One Ring – but before there was one, there were many… and we’re excited to share the epic story of them all."
Who is the cast in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the ensemble cast includes Maxim Baldry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman and Sara Zwangobani.
It’s very unlikely any of the past characters from The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings trilogies will pop up, as the new show is set in a different time period.
What trailers have been released?
In January, the first teaser trailer for the coming show was released. In it, we do not see any of the characters or even any locations for Middle-earth. Instead, we see the creation of a ring before The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power title is unveiled.
Then in February, Amazon Prime Video released another teaser trailer during Super Bowl LVI. In it, viewers are reintroduced to the lush setting of Middle-earth as well as briefly introduced to some of the new characters.
What do the teasers for 'Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' reveal?
The one-minute video unveils robe-wearing elves, stone-breaking dwarves and galloping horses. A woman’s voice says: “Haven't you ever wondered what else is out there? There's wonders in this world beyond our wandering … I can feel it.”
A few moments later, the clip pans to be a young girl played by . While there isn’t much revealed in the teaser as that beginning snippet is the only dialogue, fans are given a first look at the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings.
As mentioned, there won't be any characters from the Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film franchise making an appearance, however we will be introduced to some of the younger versions of those characters including Galadriel, who was played by Cate Blanchett in the film.
In the show, the younger version of the character is portrayed by Clark. She is seen climbing up a massive frozen waterfall in armour and full kit. In addition to Galadriel, we also see other characters such as Cordova as Arrondir and Aramayo as young Elrond (who was played by Hugo Weaving in the film series).
New footage unveiled in July gave fans a more extensive look at Middle Earth, as well as the show's ensemble cast who come together to fight a yet-to-be-named evil.
A synopsis by Amazon Prime reads: "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 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."
— This article was first published on January 20, 2022
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
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Toss: South Africa, elected to bowl first
England (311-8): Stokes 89, Morgan 57, Roy 54, Root 51; Ngidi 3-66
South Africa (207): De Kock 68, Van der Dussen 50; Archer 3-27, Stokes 2-12
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
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RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm
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Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Dhadak 2
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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
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Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
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Mobile phone packages comparison
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- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
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Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
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- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
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