Stratford Festival’s The Hobbit Delivers Unique Stagecraft on a Familiar Adventure

Jonathan Watson|Jun 5, 2026| News

LEGO Minas Tirith Is Now on Sale for Everyone

Jonathan Watson|Jun 4, 2026| News

Free League Releases Three New Supplements for The One Ring and Lord of the Rings Roleplaying

Jonathan Watson|Jun 4, 2026| News

Our Latest Episode

163. The Most Tragic Middle-earth Childhood : Children of Húrin #2

In this episode, we examine the opening chapter of The Children of Húrin, exploring the foundational relationships and lineage that shape Turin’s fate.

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A woman in a medieval dress holding a sword at a man's throat while another man looks on.

Rings of Power Season 4 Already in Development, Filming Targets Early 2027

By Jonathan Watson | May 27, 2026

Amazon is developing the fourth season of Rings of Power, with preproduction this fall and filming targeting early 2027.

Pope Leo XIV greeting the crowd from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica after his election in May 2025

Pope Leo XIV Quotes Tolkien in First Papal Encyclical

By Jonathan Watson | May 26, 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical quotes Gandalf’s speech from The Return of the King, a first for papal teaching.

The Exploring Tolkien App Is Here! Download It Now on the App Store.

By Jonathan Watson | May 26, 2026

TheOneRing.com’s Exploring Tolkien app is now available on the App Store — extended episodes, Middle-earth portraits, Tolkien date tracker, and more.

Jackson Reveals First Age ‘Connective Tissue’ Pitch to Tolkien Estate at Cannes

By Jonathan Watson | May 25, 2026

Peter Jackson reveals he’s seeking First Age ‘connective tissue’ rights from the Tolkien Estate to support The Hunt for Gollum and future films.

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Welcome To

The One Ring

Listen to our weekly podcast, Exploring Tolkien, with Tolkien fans and experts Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine. We discuss, debate, and dive deep into everything Tolkien wrote, and examine how new shows (like The Rings of Power) are adapting Tolkien’s works (for good or ill)!

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What our Listeners are Saying

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~Dani California

Excellent!

“If you want to read (or simply listen) through The Silmarillion with three brilliant guys, this is the podcast for you.”

~Pcola Benny

Funny, Entertaining

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~DreamNomad

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Previous Episodes

A person in ancient-style armor and helmet, holding a sword, stands on a mountain with a dramatic sunset sky in the background.

162. Morgoth’s Curse and the Pride of Men : The Children of Húrin #1

We finally return to Tolkien’s First Age for a new deep-dive series on The Children of Hurin.

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May 12, 2026

161. Tolkien’s First Tragic Tale : The Story of Kullervo

The Story of Kullervo was likely the earliest inspiration for one of Tolkien’s greatest stories — The Children of Húrin.

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Apr 28, 2026

160. Did Peter Jackson make Saruman too Powerful? : Film Changes #49 and #50

This episode tackles two more changes from Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring—Saruman orchestrating the storm on Caradhras, and the missing warg attack in Hollin. We break down how these adaptations simplify Middle-earth, debate whether Saruman’s powers go too...

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Apr 14, 2026

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MIddle earth Maps — Maps of Middle-earth

Take a deeper look at the lay of Middle-earth

The Complete List of Film Changes

Read about every change the films made to the books!

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J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

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Our Latest Episode

The One Ring

What our Listeners are Saying

Phenomenal!

Better than any Class

Excellent!

Funny, Entertaining

Previous Episodes

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Exploring Tolkien Podcast

Maps of Middle-earth

The Complete List of Film Changes

Our Favorite Things