Rings Of Power Adds A Witcher Star To Next Season’s Cast
Fans of two of television’s hottest fantasy shows are about to see a familiar face. Variety reports that Yasen Atour, the actor who plays Coen in Netflix’s The Witcher, has joined the cast of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in an undisclosed role. Atour is one of seven new recurring characters coming to The Rings of Power’s second season as the Amazon show looks to conquer its competition.
The Rings of Power made its long-awaited debut three months ago and has been met with a largely positive response. Despite its nearly half billion dollar price tag, the folks at Amazon seem pleased with the numbers the first season put up, claiming the show has been seen by over 100 million people. Amid reports of underperformance, Amazon Studios is moving forward with a second season of the epically expensive show.
Atour will join newcomers Gabriel Akuwudike, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeson for season two of The Rings of Power. Details about the new characters are being kept under wraps, and the sprawling nature of Tolkien’s Middle Earth makes it difficult to speculate what kind of characters fans could expect to join the show. The reveal of the new cast members comes alongside the announcement that Joseph Mawle, the actor behind the orc Adar in season one, will be replaced by Sam Hazeldine.
Production for the second season of The Rings of Power is already underway. When fans can expect to return to Middle Earth again has yet to be announced. Fans of The Witcher, however, have a gift on the way this holiday season. A prequel to the Netflix series titled The Witcher: Blood Origin, which details the origin of the first Witcher, will release on the streamer December 25, 2022.
While The Rings of Power has gone toe to toe with House of the Dragon in the ratings battle, Blood Origin expands another fantasy epic both shows must compete with. Blood Origin’s release, however, comes on the heels of troubling news for the franchise; The Witcher star and advocate Henry Cavill reportedly left the show and will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth in the coming third season. The reasons for Cavill’s exit are unclear, but some speculate that the star, an avid fan of the source material, was not pleased with the direction of the show.
The Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, and The Witcher have all had their share of off-screen drama, politics, and backlash regarding adherence to source material. Each is also a flagship property for its respective streamer, and actors jumping from one franchise to another could fuel the flames of competition for the shows. These series looking to outdo each other could yield glorious results for fans, but could also lead to the shows’ undoing if any one of them fails to perform to the high standards their massive budgets necessitate.
Amazon Studios is all in on The Rings of Power, and the addition of new cast members speaks to the trajectory of the already massive show. Lord of the Rings fans should keep their eyes peeled while production carries on, as the identities of at least some of these new characters are sure to be revealed in the coming months.
