The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunners have struck a new overall deal with Amazon MGM Studios, a potentially bullish sign for the future of the fantasy series.
Patrick McKay and JD Payne have signed a three-year deal which also launches their own production company, 10:40 PM Productions.
The duo wrote and executive produced season one of the Emmy-nominated Prime Video series The Rings of Power, which debuted in the fall of 2022. The show stands as Amazon’s most-watched original series and ranked in Nielsen’s streaming chart Top 4 every week during its initial run.
The show’s second season has wrapped filming and will be released later this year. While a third season hasn’t officially been ordered and a writers room has not yet opened, the showrunners have started to break the initial story outline.
In addition, Amazon is planning to move the show’s production hub from Bray Studios to a new production facility at nearby Shepperton Studios in the U.K.
“We began this remarkable journey with JD and Patrick more than five and a half years ago and have never looked back,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “We continue to be amazed by the scope and scale of their vision and the enormous global success achieved by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in its record-breaking first season. We can’t wait for Prime Video customers to experience the epic adventure and high-stakes drama that JD and Patrick are continuing to build throughout season two and beyond. Naturally, the studio is thrilled to extend our overall deal with these brilliant creative minds as they continue to deliver on their passion for great storytelling.”
“We had no idea what we were getting into. No one else did, either,” says Patrick McKay (right). He and J.D. Payne were photographed Sept. 21 at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England.
Photography by Charlie Gray (2); Styling by Adele Cany On Payne: Bottega Veneta jacket, Dolce & Gabbana shirt, Nudie jeans, Louis Vuitton belt and shoes. On McKay: Belstaff jacket, Raey T-shirt, Nudie jeans, Moncler belt, Novesta shoes. Grooming By Brady Lea At Premier Hair & Make-Up
McKay and Payne previously teased their season two plans in a Hollywood Reporter cover story going behind the scenes of the upcoming season. Asked what they’ve learned since that first season that they applied to the second, McKay replied, “That could be an answer that takes an hour. The entire making of this show has been a massive learning experience for everyone involved.” McKay added that the aim of season two was to be “bigger and better” on “every level … by an order of magnitude. The bar has to keep going up.”
The Rings of Power season one is currently streaming on Prime Video. McKay and Payne are repped by CAA and Barry Littman.