Rings of Powers’ filming locations bring Middle-earth’s battles, ethereal landscapes, and diverse cultures to life in the rather gorgeous-looking Prime Video TV series.
With Rings of Power Season 2 arriving to immerse us once more in Lord of the Rings‘ world, it’s fun to look at where scenes are actually shot.
Middle-earth is a fantasy land, so how is this incredibly expensive show choosing to create it for the small screen?
We’ve broken down key places Rings of Power was filmed and the scenes you might recognize from those locales. So pick up your elven bow and saddle, and let’s get moving.
Rings of Power filming locations
Rings of Power Season 1 was filmed in New Zealand, while Season 2 moved to the UK.
New Zealand
Season 1 took note from the original Peter Jackson trilogy, shooting in New Zealand.
Recognizable for The Shire as well as the lush mountainous environments seen throughout the Lord of the Rings movies, Rings of Power held fast to tradition.
Much interior production took place at Auckland Film Studios. Its website explains that it’s part of the “thriving entertainment industry on the doorstep of diverse urban settings and breath-taking natural landscapes.”
Interior scenes in Season 1 were shot there on soundstages (the scenes with Galadriel and Halbrand at sea were done in a massive water tank), while natural New Zealand countryside complimented sequences that took place outdoors.
Greene said, “Two actors started crying when they got to the top — they were so overwhelmed.”
England, UK
Season 2 packed up and headed for the UK instead. This was reportedly due to logistical problems present by the country’s strict COVID-19 policies.
Bovingdon Airfield at Chesham Road in Hertfordshire is a popular studio that the crew used. Films like Deadpool 3, Rogue One, and 1917 used its facilities. Bray Film Studios in Berkshire was also utilized.
Like Warner Bros. Leavesden Studio (used for House of the Dragon filming), Bovingdon has a long history and was built during World War II.
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“The uniquely configured 100 acres of former war-time US Airforce Base 112 and RAF Bovingdon have been used for TV, film, and commercial production facilities for more than 60 years,” reads its website.
Tenerife
Production also used the Canary Islands in March 2022. They were used in place of in place of Rhûn‘s desert landscapes.
The town of San Juan de la Rambla hosted the crew for five weeks.
The Harfoots’ community filming location
The Harfoots community, East of the misty mountains, in Rings of Power used North Island’s Denize Bluffs in Mangaotaki Valley.
It’s private land but has large rock formations and caves that fit what location scouts were looking for. This location was also the Trollshaw Forest in The Hobbit movies.
Khazad-dûm
The exteriors of the dwarven realm Khazad-dûm were shot at Earnslaw Burn. The valley is in Otago, north of Queenstown.
This is another spot used by The Hobbit trilogy and is one of the locations you can visit on tours. If you’re wondering about the interior, that’s sound stage magic (as is Numenor, of all places).
The Ostirith watchtower
The Ostirith tower was placed onto Fiordland National Park’s Lake Quill.
The VFX department used CGI to place the tower on its rolling hills, near Sutherland Falls.
Now that’s a tour.
Keep up to date with our recaps of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, and Episode 5, and check out our breakdown of Tom Bombadil and our predictions for the Dark Wizard. You can also read our guides on Morgoth’s origin, the Undying Lands, and Forodwaith.
