Amazon officially reveal Welsh-dominated line-up for new Lord of the Rings series

Amazon have officially announced a Welsh-dominated lineup of actors for their new Lord of the Rings Series, which is reportedly the most expensive ever made.

Welsh speakers Owain Arthur, Morfydd Clark and Trystan Gravelle are among the actors included, with Lloyd Owen (London-born to Welsh parents) also part of the cast. Filming wrapped in New Zealand on August 2nd.

So far the exact details of the cast and plot for the $465 million series have been kept under wraps, with only a rumoured cast and synopsis. But the first teaser image published by Amazon suggested that at least part of the story will take place during the First Age of Middle Earth - with the well-known movies taking place in the Third.

Morfydd Clark from Penarth is rumoured to be playing a young Galadriel, acted by Cate Blanchett in the movies. Many characters are however expected to be new additions rather than author JRR Tolkien's own creations.

Clark had previously hinted that a number of other Welsh speakers had also joined the cast, saying that she was "very lucky there are two people in the cast and a costume designer who speak Welsh. But I am missing speaking Welsh".

Owain Arthur from Bangor has previously appeared in S4C's Welsh language 35 Diwrnod and Y Gwyll, and Trystan Gravelle from Trimsaran has appeared in A470 and Caerdydd.

Amazon revealed the show will debut September 2, 2022 on their Prime Video service.

Amazon Studios Head Jennifer Salke said: “I can’t express enough just how excited we all are to take our global audience on a new and epic journey through Middle-earth! Our talented producers, cast, creative, and production teams have worked tirelessly in New Zealand to bring this untold and awe-inspiring vision to life.”

Amazon added: “Beginning in a time of relative peace, thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.”