'We Want to Show a Different Side of Him' — in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, the Balrog Speaks — and It's Simon Pegg

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 features a creature famous for failing to pass Gandalf in The Fellowship of the Ring — and, for the first time ever, it speaks. At San Diego Comic-Con 2026 today, Prime Video debuted a trailer for Season 3 and revealed three new characters: Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky) plays King Durin IV’s older brother, Thrain; Andrew Richardson (Guys & Dolls) plays Elendil’s younger son and Isildur’s brother, Anarion; and Adam Young (Don’t Breathe 2) plays Marnûkh, who is described as “a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems.” They join the previously announced Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn, and Zubin Varla as Khamûl the Easterling. But the headline addition here is Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame as the voice of The Balrog — yes, The Balrog, Tolkien’s terrifying creature born of fire, darkness, and shadow who battles Gandalf on the bridge of Khazad-dûm. At SDCC, Prime Video debuted an in-room only featurette titled Bringing Season 3’s Creatures to Life, which showed highlights of several creatures that will be seen this season, including Fell-beasts, the war elephants known as Mûmakil, Orcs, and the return of the Bal