‘The Rings Of Power’ recasts orc leader Adar for season 2

Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power has recast the role of orc leader Adar for season two.

The dark elf was previously portrayed by Joseph Mawle, but the role has now gone to actor Sam Hazeldine (Slow Horses, Peaky Blinders). A reason for Mawle’s departure has not yet been disclosed.

• READ MORE: ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’ review: epic fantasy franchise returns to rule them all

The addition of Hazeldine was one of seven new casting announcements recently made by Amazon Prime Video, according to Entertainment Weekly. The other six actors set to join the second season include Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen “Zates” Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeson.

It has not yet been revealed who these additional cast members will be playing.

“Since its premiere, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth,” Amazon television head Vernon Sanders said in a statement.

“To date, season one is the top original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling. We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two.”

Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, The Rings Of Power takes viewers back to the Second Age of middle-Earth, following an ensemble cast of characters – both new and familiar – as they confront the re-emergence of an evil power.

In NME‘s four-star review of the first season, we wrote: “The Rings Of Power’s fresh faces do some of the most interesting work on the show. As a start, this is an excellent one. Tell Sam Gamgee the tale’s not done yet.”

The post ‘The Rings Of Power’ recasts orc leader Adar for season 2 appeared first on NME.