The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 has been on the minds of fans ever since the Middle-earth-shaking finale, and it seems like we now have an answer as to its current status. The latest season saw Sauron (Charlie Vickers) put his plan to dominate the world into action, corrupting those who stand in his way of the creation of the titular rings. As Amazon seems confident that it will renew the series for a new season despite mixed reactions, the creative force behind The Rings of Power have now given audiences a long-awaited update on Season 3.

The cast and crew of The Rings of Power held a Q&A in Los Angeles this week for the second season (via @RingsofPowerEra). Showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne were present and answered a question regarding the current development status of Season 3. Payne remarked that he had just spent “12 of the 13 hours” of a plane ride writing the script for the new season. Meanwhile, McKay added that they have cracked the code for Season 3 and are now putting pen to paper:

“We’re really excited. We have a story. We think it’s really strong…and we’re working on it.”

The interesting part of the conversation is that they are acting as if the show had already been renewed. Of course, it is entirely normal for development on new seasons of a show to continue despite the lack of an official renewal. This is especially true for a major production like The Rings of Power, which needs to be ironed out well ahead of schedule due to the massive nature of the series. And perhaps Amazon is waiting to see completed scripts before moving forward and announcing a new season. That said, it is still a bit surprising to know that no official confirmation has arrived from the studio themselves.

‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3 Still Not Officially Greenlit

Although it is a great sign that the showrunners behind The Rings of Power are hard at work on the scripts for Season 3, the lack of an official greenlight is a bit worrying. It was previously reported that the next season has been in development since before the Season 2 finale, and yet fans are still clamoring for an announcement from the streamer. Prime Video is normally quick to tell its subscribers that they will be expecting a new season, sometimes before a show even debuts. It’s possible the budget of The Rings of Power is making the studio have second thoughts about a renewal, since Season 2, while well-received, did not necessarily convince the non-believers.

Ever since its conception, The Rings of Power was always meant to be a five-season endeavor for Amazon. Every indication points to that still being the case, especially since the Season 2 finale didn’t shy away from the show’s true endgame. The high-budget production is building up the biggest battle probably ever put on the small screen, and one that has close ties to the original Peter Jackson trilogy opening in The Fellowship of the Ring.