Simon Pegg, known for his roles in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, will lend his voice to the Balrog in the upcoming third season of Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The announcement was made at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, where Prime Video also debuted a trailer for the new season.
For the first time in any Tolkien-related media, the Balrog, a creature of fire and shadow, will speak. The showrunners described the Balrog as an "intelligent dangerous adversary" and stated their intention to "show a different side of him," with a scene planned alongside Sauron.
The series will also introduce new characters, including Thrain, King Durin IV's older brother, played by Eddie Marsan, and Anarion, Elendil's younger son and Isildur's brother, portrayed by Andrew Richardson. Marnûkh, a mysterious Orc, will be voiced by Adam Young. Jamie Campbell Bower returns as Celeborn, and Zubin Varla reprises his role as Khamûl the Easterling.
Season 3 picks up five years after the fall of Eregion, with Sauron's armies having conquered much of Middle-earth. Khazad-dûm and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell are among the last strongholds against his total victory. In Mordor, Sauron is focused on forging the One Ring to dominate all life.
The season will explore the origins of the Nazgûl, referred to as the Nazgnagôl in this Second Age incarnation. These were men who served Sauron and sought power. The narrative is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
The first four episodes of The Rings of Power Season 3 are set to premiere on November 11, 2026. Episodes five and six will be released on November 18, with the remaining two episodes concluding the season on November 25.
Amazon has stated that The Rings of Power is one of its most-viewed titles, with Season 1 being its biggest series premiere and Season 2 ranking among the top five most-watched returning seasons. The show has garnered over 185 million viewers globally and is projected to run for five seasons.