Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmovies make up one of the most popular fantasy series ever put to covert , but there are multiple different showing orders that make sense for this fib . The movies are base on the works of British author J.R.R. Tolkien , whose original phantasy record take station in in-between - solid ground and follow a wide survival of Humans , Elves , Dwarves , and Hobbits as they combat against the colored forces of immorality that endanger their universe .

Since Peter Jackson ’s two trilogies take place at entirely unlike points in clock time , audiences are now given a choice regarding how they want to experience this story . There are pro and cons to bothLord of the Ringsviewing order ( release order and chronological edict ) , with each pick revealing entropy at different times and transfer the means certain plot of ground twists and surprises work . Plus , with the button ofThe Rings of Poweron Amazon Prime Video , the cinematic timeline has become even more complex and non - linear .

TheLord of the Ringsmovies were and are epic and one can argue that they can only be experienced on the bragging cover . But , these are the type of cinematic titans that Blu - ray was made for . The Lord of the Rings : The Motion Picture Trilogyis the special variation Blu - ray at its best .

The hobbit the battle of the five armies lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring

How Many Lord Of The Rings Movies Are There?

There Are Currently Eight Lord Of The Rings Movies

There are a total of eight picture adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien ’s Middle - globe book , six in Peter Jackson ’s modern series and two animated movies released in 1978 and 1980 severally . That breaks down into threeThe Lord of the Ringsmovies and threeThe Hobbitmovies , pose before them in the Tolkien cinematic timeline . The first movie adapt from Tolkien ’s books was the 1978 animatedThe Lord Of The Rings , directed by Ralph Bakshi . That was followed in 1980 by a Rankin - Bass animated adjustment ofThe Return of the King . Jackson ’s LOTR trilogy then kicked off in the early 2000s .

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Release twelvemonth

Gollum in Lord of the Rings Return of the King Oscars

Ralph Bakshi’sThe Lord Of The Rings

1978

Bass & Rankin’sThe Return of the King

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

1980

The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring

2001

lord-of-the-rings-movies-in-order

The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers

2002

The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the Riley B King

LOTR_1

TheLord of the Ringsmovies were and are epic and one can argue that they can only be experienced on the big screen. But, these are the types of cinematic titans that Blu-ray was made for.The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogyis the special edition Blu-ray at its best.

2003

The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey

2012

The One Ring from Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug

2013

The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies

The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey Poster Image

As Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th birthday, he recounts the extraordinary journey that changed his life. Guided by the enigmatic wizard Gandalf, Bilbo joins a band of Dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim their homeland from the fearsome dragon, Smaug. Along the way, they face treacherous foes, unearth long-buried secrets, and discover unexpected courage within themselves. With danger lurking at every turn, Bilbo’s adventure unfolds in a tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope.

2014

Warner Bros. now hasplans for multiple fresh LotR moviesadapted from the books , with a novel live - natural action series , theupcomingThe Lord of the Rings : The War of the Rohirrimmovieand Amazon’sRings of Powerseason 2 incoming .

The LOTR Movies & Hobbit Movies In Order (By Release)

The Best Way To Watch The Lord Of The Rings Movies

WatchingThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitin the fiat these movies were bring out is the most reliable way of life of experiencing the narrative , with everything happening in the order the writer mean . The characters are introduced when they should be , their arcs happen course , and Jackson ’s direction guides the audience gently through the story without much mix-up . For new audience , watchingThe Lord of the Ringsin passing order undoubtedly makes the most horse sense .

The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Order By Release Date

December 19 , 2001

December 18 , 2002

December 17 , 2003

Headshot Of Martin Freeman In The London Premiere <code>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</code>.

The Hobbit Movies In Order By Release Date

December 14 , 2012

December 13 , 2013

December 17 , 2014

Headshot Of Ian McKellen In The USA Rights Only

WhileThe Hobbittrilogy is a prequel toThe Lord of the Rings , the two series are really comfortably enjoyed in reverse order . The grandness of this take in order becomes well-defined once audiences reach Jackson’sThe Hobbitmovies . These sequels assume that hearing are already conversant with characters from the original trilogy , including Gandalf , Galadriel , and Saruman , inserting them into this history without much explanation .

This is just one of manydifferences betweenThe Hobbitmovies and the book . A adept background noesis ofThe Lord of the Ringswill really help audiences make the most of this trilogy , enabling them to recognize characters and locations as shortly as they appear .

The Lord Of The Rings Franchise In Order Of Events

The Saga In Chronological Order (Including The Rings Of Power)

WatchingThe Lord of the Ringsmovies and tv set shows in chronological parliamentary procedure is elementary than many other franchises , as the stories neatly follow on from one - another outside an fantastically limited identification number of picture ( such as the possibility ofThe Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey , which has a abbreviated moment with Frodo and the elder Bilbo ) .

While Amazon’sThe Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Poweris technically part of the Peter JacksonLord of the Ringscanon , it does spiritually pay homage to the acclaimed cinematic trilogy in a numeral of ways — enough so that , when viewing the story in chronological lodge , it fit out in nicely as a precursor toThe Hobbittrilogy . It ’s not essential viewing though , especially sinceThe Rings of Powertakes situation millennium prior to the outcome ofThe Hobbit .

Movie / Show

The Hobbit The Desolation Of Smaug Movie Poster

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, directed by Peter Jackson, continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) alongside Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his company of dwarves. As they travel to reclaim Erebor from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), they encounter new allies and dangers.

The Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Power

2022 - Present

buff desire to observe all the live - actionLord of the Ringscontent chronologically should view the series and picture in the premature fiat ( withThe Rings of Powerbeing considered optional , specially since it is still on-going ):

The Hobbit The Battle Of the Five Armies Movie Poster

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the final installment in Peter Jackson’s trilogy, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel. The film follows Bilbo Baggins and the Company of Dwarves as they face the catastrophic consequences of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain. The power struggle over the treasure leads to a climactic battle involving five armies, testing the characters' courage and alliances.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

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As Bilbo Baggins celebrate his 111th birthday , he recounts the sinful journey that modify his life-time . Guided by the enigmatical wizard Gandalf , Bilbo joins a dance orchestra of Dwarves on a parlous pursuit to reclaim their homeland from the dreadful dragon , Smaug . Along the way , they confront unreliable foes , unearth long - swallow mystery , and learn unexpected courageousness within themselves . With risk lurking at every turn , Bilbo ’s adventure unfold in a tale of friendly relationship , sacrifice , and the brave force of hope .

While it was released over a 10 afterThe family of the Ring , the first motion picture chronologically in Peter Jackson ’s Middle - ground saga isThe Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey . Tolkien ’s novelThe Hobbitwas written prior to hisThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy and takes place several 10 earlier , focusing on the adventures of a younger Bilbo Baggins and explaining how he discovered The One Ring .

Peter Jackson made many changes to Tolkien ’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit for his movies , and not all of them belong over well with watcher .

The Lord Of The Rings- The Fellowship Of The Ring Poster

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first film in Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy. The movie follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Woods) as he is tasked with destroying the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom after he inherits the ring.

The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journeyis the first movie in Jackson ’s prequel trilogy , and therefore , the first motion-picture show in the cinematic timeline . The narrative follows a young Bilbo Baggins as he ’s recruited by Gandalf to reclaim stolen treasure from a grievous dragon named Smaug who lives in an older mountain . It ’s an adaptation of the first act of Tolkien ’s novel of the same name , leave up to the ring ’s battle with Azog . However , the movie also introduces several storylines that are n’t part of Tolkien ’s novel , and it includes the presence of characters such as Galadriel and Saruman .

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)

The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug , direct by Peter Jackson , continues the journey of Bilbo Baggins ( Martin Freeman ) alongside Thorin Oakenshield ( Richard Armitage ) and his company of dwarves . As they travel to reclaim Erebor from the firedrake Smaug ( vocalise by Benedict Cumberbatch ) , they encounter new friend and danger .

While J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Hobbitnovel was a single book , Peter Jackson rive the story into three department when adapting the story for the self-aggrandizing screen , breakingThe Hobbitdown into three trenchant movies . An Unexpected Journeycovers the start of Bilbo ’s journey and establishes the overarching plot of ground of the wider trilogy , a tale which continues next in 2013’sThe Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug .

The undermentioned motion-picture show , The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug , rent place moment after the finis ofAn Unexpected Journey , as Bilbo and his friends continue their locomotion and bump the malevolent dragon that ’s been guard the treasure they assay . It picks up correctly after the bunch ’s rescue by the eagles and observe them as they get in at the Lonely Mountain . The pic ends with Smaug ’s determination to make for mayhem on Laketown as the dwarves arrive to reclaim their home .

Headshot Of Elijah Wood

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies is the net installment in Peter Jackson ’s trilogy , based on J.R.R. Tolkien ’s novel . The motion-picture show keep an eye on Bilbo Baggins and the Company of Dwarves as they face the catastrophic consequences of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain . The power conflict over the hoarded wealth extend to a climactic struggle involving five armies , try the characters ' courageousness and alliances .

The final chapter in Peter Jackson’sThe Hobbittrilogy is 2013’sThe Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies , which is perhaps the closest in scurf to the epical compass of the directorsThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy . Once again , the last installment inThe Hobbittrilogy picks up directly after the conclusion ofThe Desolation of Smaug , largely following the fight that ensued between the flying dragon , Bilbo ’s party , the Dwarves , the Elves , and several other regular army that came to domesticate the commonwealth .

It ’s an exciting conclusion to the trilogy , leading mighty up to Bilbo ’s issue to The Shire , where he stay on until his appearance inThe society of the Ring . It ’s this adventure that Bilbo is attend writing about at the beginning of the firstLord of the Ringsmovie , and the ending ofThe Battle of the Five Armiesserves as an excellent span to the events ofThe Fellowship of the Ring .

lord of the rings

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a Fantasy film by director Peter Jackson and is based on The Two Towers book by author J. R. R. Tolkien. A sequel to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, this installment continues Frodo’s journey to take the One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring is the first film in Peter Jackson ’s critically clap Lord of the Rings trilogy . The moving picture follows Frodo Baggins ( Elijah Woods ) as he is tasked with put down the One Ring in the fervor of Mount Doom after he inherit the ring .

The Lord of the Ringstrilogy consider station 60 eld afterThe Hobbit , follow Bilbo ’s full cousin , Frodo ( whom he touch on to as his nephew ) , as he attempts to demolish the One Ring that Bilbo bring out during the former story.2001’sThe Fellowship of the Ringintroduces audiences to most of the series ’ important eccentric , commit them off on their dangerous undertaking and work up the relationships that will be followed for the remainder of the trilogy .

While it ’s technically a sequel toThe Hobbit , viewing Peter Jackson ’s prequel trilogy is n’t at all essential , as nothing that transpires inThe family of the Ringor the two movies that follows call for knowledge ofThe Hobbit . The Fellowship of the Ring ’s endingsees Frodo and Sam splitting up from the group as their Quaker assay to rescue Merry and Pippin from the Orcs .

lord of the riings

The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship’s quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron’s reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron’s forces. The film’s ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers is a Fantasy film by director Peter Jackson and is ground on The Two Towers playscript by source J. R. R. Tolkien . A continuation to The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring , this episode continues Frodo ’s journey to take the One Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it .

The Two Towersbridges the gap between the first and finalLord of the Ringsmovies , splitting up the Fellowship and introduce several new locations on the route to Mordor . The story is mostly split into three part : Frodo and Sam ’s journey to Mordor with Gollum , Merry and Pippin ’s interactions with the Ents , and the remaining heroes ' attempts to save Rohan from Sauron ’s United States Army .

The story culminates with the celebrated Battle of Helm ’s Deep , which sets the stage for the last installment of the trilogy . While it ’s the middle segment of the wide story , many key events take plaza inThe Two Towers , and it also features one of the franchise ’s most heroic battle sequences when the Urak - Hai overrun Helm ’s Deep . The Two Towersalso stands as a alone testament to both J.R.R. Tolkien ’s storytelling ability and Peter Jackson ’s skills as a director , since , for the most part , it knead just as well as a standalone story as it does part of a panoptic narrative .

The Lord of the Rings The War of the Rohirrim official poster

Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.

The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King

The final installing of the Lord of the Rings trilogy , The Return of the King concludes the larger-than-life saga of the Fellowship ’s pursuance to destroy the One Ring and put an remnant to Sauron ’s sovereignty of terror . As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom , accompanied by Gollom , the rest of the Fellowship employment to guard Minas Tirith from Sauron ’s forces . The film ’s ensemble form includes Elijah Wood , Sean Astin , Ian McKellen , Vigo Mortensen , Orlando Bloom , John Rhys - Davies , Billy Boyd , and Dominic Monaghan .

Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy culminate in 2003’sThe Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King , which brings all the various tale threads to a head and sees the united people ’s of Middle - earth take their last pedestal against the dark lord Sauronand the forces of Mordor . Return of the Kingis the net entry in Peter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy , and as such , the last chronological entranceway in this cinematic universe .

The Lord of the Rings : riposte of the King had a disk - break night at the 2004 Oscars , but only follow an across-the-board campaign by New Line Cinema .

Headshot Of Brian Cox

The story follows Frodo and his friends as they battle against Sauron and finally destruct the One Ring , bring peace back to Middle - Earth . rejoinder of the Kingwraps the taradiddle up perfectly , and it move on to make headway Best Picture at the Academy Awards . It ’s also the latest chronological point J.R.R. Tolkien wrote on when it comes to the history of halfway - earth , as very little was disclosed aboutwhat happened afterThe Return of the Kingand the fourth geezerhood of Middle - earth that follow .

How The Rings Of Power Fits Into The Lord Of The Rings Franchise

A New Addition To The Mythos

The Rings of Poweris a serial that take place long beforeThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbit , during the First Age of Middle - land . It adopt a much younger version of Galadriel as she attempts to quit Sauron ’s ascending to baron , which ties neatly into the movies that keep an eye on many yr subsequently .

AlthoughThe Rings of Powertechnically is n’t an prescribed prequel , it wreak within the timeline of Jackson ’s films , as it ’s still following Tolkien ’s history of Middle - ground . However , the series take liberties with Tolkien ’s writings , so it ’s hard to say if it’sas faithful as theLord of the Ringsmovies .

The first season ofThe Rings of Powerstars Morfydd Clark as Galadriel , Robert Aramayo as Elrond , Charlie Vickers as Halbrand , Maxim Baldry as Isildur , and Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir . The Rings of Poweris a big variety fromThe Lord of the Rings , and ithas plans to remain for several more seasons . Whether it will become as highly reckon as the movies continue to be seen , but it ’s certainly doing a good business of amplify upon Tolkien ’s vast lore .

Headshot Of Gaia Wise

The Future Of The Lord Of The Rings Franchise

An Anime & A NewLOTRMovie Series Is Coming

prepare before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy , The Lord of the Rings : The War of the Rohirrim is an animize natural process - risky venture fantasy pic that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand . When his family come under siege by Dunlendings , Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them , with the warfare precede to the eventual establishment of Helm ’s Deep .

The future remains bright for fans ofThe Lord of the Ringsfranchise . In 2023 , Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav​​​​​​​ said the company was plan to make several new movies alongside Freemode , a division of Swedish amusement company Embracer Group , which previously acquired the movie right field to Tolkien ’s work . Zaslav said they will expand " upon the much - loved world and fibre of Middle - earth"(viaCNN ) .

Set 183 years beforeThe Two Towers , The War of the Rohirrimwill nerve centre on Helm Hammerhand , the legendary king of Rohan

Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power Season 2 Poster Showing Charlie Vickers as Sauron

Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.

This does not let in the anime movieLord of the Rings : The War of the Rohirrim , which will be eject in December 2024 . Set 183 eld beforeThe Two tugboat , The War of the Rohirrimwill center on Helm Hammerhand , the legendary world-beater of Rohan , who attend to maintain his country against an army of Dunlendings . Brian Cox ( Succession ) voices Hammerhand , and Miranda Otto return as Éowyn .

After that , the nextLord of the Ringsmovie will beThe Lord of the Rings : The Hunt for Gollum , scheduled for release in 2026 . Andy Serkis , who motion - gaining control portrayed Gollum in the dealership , has signed on to direct the film . This is the first live - actionLOTRmoviesince Peter Jackson’sThe Hobbittrilogy end in 2014 . There are no patch details , but in J.R.R. Tolkien ’s books , The Hunt for Gollumoccurred during a multi - year prison term skip that separates Bilbo ’s natal day political party and Frodo leaving the Shire .

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Headshot Of Morfydd Clark In The V&amp;A Summer Party 2024

Set in the Second Age of Middle - ground , The Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic anchor ring , the raise of the Dark Lord Sauron , and the larger-than-life events precede up to the news report in J.R.R. Tolkien ’s Hellenic novels . The serial publication chronicles the creation of fabled characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the circumstances of Middle - worldly concern .

Headshot Of Charlie Vickers

Movies

The Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit