Audiences are being given the chance to see the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in movie theaters two days ahead of its streaming launch. Prime Video is delving into J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical universe, creating one of the most highly anticipated TV shows of the year. Taking place in Middle-earth's Second Age, The Rings of Power is set two thousand years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy and will explore, among other things, Sauron's initial rise to power.

Following its announcement in 2017, Amazon's Prime Video committed to a five-season deal for The Rings of Power, expanding on Tolkien's infamous stories with a total expected budget of roughly $1 billion, creating one of the most expensive television productions ever. Since it was first announced, fan reactions have gone back and forth on it as new information and footage were released, but the most recent trailers have sparked positive reactions for the upcoming series. Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne act as showrunners for The Rings of Power, with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director J.A. Bayona behind the first two episodes.

The latest addition to Tolkien's universe continues to spare no expense, as fans are being given the chance to celebrate the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power with a cinematic release two days before the official premiere on Amazon Prime. According to Variety, Cinemark are to host this one-night-only event on August 31, with tickets available from Monday at 9am PT. The ticket reservation is provided on a first-come-first-served basis, and comes with a $10 snack voucher. Additionally, outside the U.S.A. and Canada, this event is being held across 200 locations globally, including in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Argentina, Colombia, Australia, and New Zealand, with tickets reportedly being made available simultaneously.


As of late, audiences have started to see an increase in the number of movies that go straight to a streaming service, as filmmakers are having to position their projects as worthy of a theatrical release. This The Rings of Power event is almost the reverse of this trend, with a streaming series getting a chance to kick off season 1 on the big screen. Fans who attend will only be more likely to compare the show with Peter Jackson's movie trilogy, however, so it remains to be seen if this strategy pays off.

For those who don't manage to attend the exciting cinematic release, The Rings of Power will also have its two-episode Prime Video premiere on September 2, with following episodes releasing weekly until the season 1 finale on October 14. The Lord of the Rings franchise shifting from its familiar place on the big screen to television is a big change, even with a production as large as The Rings of Power. However, it's nice to see that The Rings of Power will still be following in its predecessors footsteps as it gears up for the fast-approaching cinematic and streaming premieres.