Lord of the Rings films

The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy of epic fantasy films directed by Peter Jackson. The films are based on the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, drawing their titles and most of their plots from its three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003). Produced and distributed by New Line Cinema with the co-production of Jackson's WingNut Films, the films feature an ensemble cast. Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins as he and the Company of the Ring set out to destroy the One Ring, an artifact of great magical power, and defeat its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The Company eventually separates, and Frodo continues the quest with his loyal valet Sam and the treacherous Gollum. Meanwhile, Aragorn, heir in exile to the throne of Gondor, along with the elf Legolas, the dwarf Gimli, other hobbits Merry and Pippin, and the wizard Gandalf, unite to rally the Free Peoples of Middle-earth against the forces of Sauron. The three films were shot simultaneously in Jackson's native New Zealand from 11 October 1999 until 22 December 2000, with pick-up shots from 2001 to 2003. It was one of the biggest and most ambitious film projects ever undertaken, with a budget of $281 million (equivalent to $543 million in 2025). The first film in the series premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 10 December 2001; the second film premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on 5 December 2002; the third film premiered at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington on 1 December 2003. An extended edition of each film was released on home video a year after its release in cinemas. The Lord of the Rings is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film series ever made. It was a major financial success and is among the highest-grossing film series of all time, having grossed over $2.9 billion worldwide. Its faithfulness to the source material has been a subject of discussion. The series received numerous accolades, winning 17 Academy Awards out of 30 total nominations, including Best Picture for The Return of the King. In 2021, the Library of Congress selected The Fellowship of the Ring for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".