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The Grey Wizard is back in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3.
Throughout the first two seasons, the true identity of The Stranger (played by Daniel Weyman) remains a mystery as he meets the Harfoots, is mentored by Tom Bombadil, and crosses paths with a Dark Wizard in the eastern lands of Rhûn. In The Rings of Power season 2 finale, The Stranger officially realizes and accepts his name is Gandalf.
Now, Empire Magazine has unveiled the first official look at Gandalf the Grey's return in The Rings of Power season 3, including his iconic beard, staff, and pointy grey hat – hallmarks of one of J.R.R. Tolkien's most beloved characters. Check out the image below:
For The Rings of Power season 3, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay told Weyman it was time to fully embrace Gandalf, which was exactly the direction he had been hoping for. The actor tells Empire:
Just before we started Season 3, J.D. and Patrick told me: "We want to see that Gandalf has arrived. We want to see him as the wizard we all love from Tolkien's writings." I found this new side to him, the side that we all hopefully recognise: the mischief, the twinkle in his eye.
In addition to finally wearing Gandalf's complete iconic attire, Weyman says putting on the hat was "unbelievably spine-tingling," adding, "I was pinching myself all the way through." But the wizard has far more than a new look to contend with as Middle-earth grows ever darker and Sauron begins making his biggest moves.
According to Payne, season 3 sees Gandalf "going from learning how to control his powers, to understanding that wizards actually have a prophetic dimension. That their job is to inspire the hearts of the people around them to find their own courage to unite against the darkness."
Otherwise, The Rings of Power season 3's story jumps ahead several years, plunging Middle-earth into the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as The Dark Lord focuses on secretly crafting the One Ring to secure his dominance, while the Elves and Númenóreans rally to fight back.
The Rings of Power season 3 cast includes the return of Charlie Vickers as Sauron, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Queen Regent Míriel, Lloyd Owen as Elendil, Owain Arthur as Durin IV, Sophia Nomvete as Disa, Trystan Gravelle as Ar-Pharazôn, Maxim Baldry as Isildur, Ismael Cruz Córdova as Arondir, and Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad.
New additions include Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things) and Andrew Richardson as series regulars, alongside Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), Zubin Varla (Andor), and Adam Young in recurring roles, all of which are undisclosed.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 premieres November 11 on Prime Video.
