Gandalf Finally Looks Like Gandalf in ‘Rings of Power’ Season 3, and Fans Are Losing It
Middle-earth fans have waited two long seasons for one simple thing, and that is watching Daniel Weyman’s mysterious wanderer finally become the wizard everyone came to see. Since ‘The Rings of Power’ first premiered, the character known only as The Stranger has spent his journey stumbling through Rhûn, bonding with the Harfoots, and slowly uncovering who he really is. Throughout the first two seasons, the true identity of The Stranger remained a mystery as he met the Harfoots, was mentored by Tom Bombadil, and crossed paths with a Dark Wizard in the eastern lands of Rhûn, before finally accepting in the season two finale that his name is Gandalf.
That slow burn has made every scrap of Season 3 marketing feel like an event, and the show’s marketing team clearly knows it. Anticipation has only grown as new images have trickled out, each one hinting that the wizard is finally stepping into his full power. That buildup reached a new peak this week when Empire Magazine dropped its latest exclusive.
The magazine’s cover story, first shared online by the account DiscussingFilm and sourced to Empire, gives fans their first true look at Gandalf the Grey in Season 3, complete with the beard, staff, and wide brimmed grey hat that define the character in Tolkien’s writing. Weyman said the transformation came after a conversation with showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay before filming began. The actor told Empire, “Just before we started Season 3, J.D. and Patrick told me, we want to see that Gandalf has arrived. We want to see him as the wizard we all love from Tolkien’s writings.”
Weyman added that the freedom to fully embrace the role uncovered something new in the character, saying he found “this new side to him, the side that we all hopefully recognise, the mischief, the twinkle in his eye.” He also described the experience of finally wearing the full costume as “unbelievably spine-tingling,” admitting he “was pinching myself all the way through.”
The reveal is not just cosmetic either. Gandalf is set for a much bigger role in Season 3 as darkness spreads across Middle-earth and Sauron continues to grow stronger. Payne teased that the wizard’s arc will move past simply learning to control his powers, explaining that Gandalf must come to understand that wizards carry a prophetic purpose, one meant to inspire the people around him to find their own courage against the darkness.
Gandalf will not be facing that darkness alone either. Empire’s coverage also confirms this is the season where Sauron finally forges the One Ring in the volcano, with co-showrunner Patrick McKay promising the story only grows more dangerous from here. The outlet’s team reportedly spent three days embedded on set at Shepperton Studios, moving through the halls of Khazad dûm and Rivendell, the streets of Númenor, and the depths of Mordor to capture the scale of what is shaping up to be the show’s most intense chapter yet.
‘The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power’ Season 3 is set to premiere on Prime Video on November 11, 2026. With Gandalf now fully embracing his identity and Sauron closing in on his most infamous creation, how do you think this new look at the Grey Wizard changes the stakes for Middle-earth’s darkest season yet?
