Watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, in release order from The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), then The Hobbit trilogy. The Hobbit is set 60 years earlier, but it was made later and assumes you know the Rings films. The Rings of Power and The War of the Rohirrim are optional additions.
- Titles
- 9
- Films
- 7
- Series
- 2
- Watch time
- 38 hours
- Box office
- $5.87 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.7
Lord of the Rings movies in release order
Here is every Lord of the Rings (Hobbit) title in the order it came out, 2001 to 2024: 7 films and 2 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 | Film | 2h 59m | 8.9 |
| 2 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | 2002 | Film | 2h 59m | 8.8 |
| 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | 2003 | Film | 3h 21m | 9 |
| 4 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 2012 | Film | 2h 49m | 7.8 |
| 5 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 2013 | Film | 2h 41m | 7.8 |
| 6 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 2014 | Film | 2h 24m | 7.4 |
| 7 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) optional | 2022 | Series | 9h 25m | 6.8 |
| 8 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) optional | 2024 | Series | 9h 6m | 6.8 |
| 9 | The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim optional | 2024 | Film | 2h 14m | 6.3 |
Lord of the Rings timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) | Second Age | 2022 |
| 2 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) | Second Age | 2024 |
| 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim | T.A. 2758 | 2024 |
| 4 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | T.A. 2941 | 2012 |
| 5 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | T.A. 2941 | 2013 |
| 6 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | T.A. 2941 | 2014 |
| 7 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | T.A. 3018 | 2001 |
| 8 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | T.A. 3019 | 2002 |
| 9 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | T.A. 3019 | 2003 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 6 titles here. In release order you start with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001); in story order you start with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1), set in Second Age, which came out 21 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Middle-earth into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and go in release order, skipping the 3 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 6 titles and about 17 hours, 55% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (9), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (8.9), and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (8.8).
Every Lord of the Rings movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2001 · Film · 2h 59m · 7th in story order
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
Why it matters: The Fellowship forms; the place to start.
- Starring
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $871 million on a $93 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 91%
No. 02 · 2002 · Film · 2h 59m · 8th in story order
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.
Why it matters: The Fellowship split three ways; Helm's Deep.
- Starring
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $926 million on a $79 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%
No. 03 · 2003 · Film · 3h 21m · 9th in story order
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.
Why it matters: The War of the Ring ends; won 11 Oscars.
- Starring
- Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $1.12 billion on a $94 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 9 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
No. 04 · 2012 · Film · 2h 49m
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
Why it matters: Bilbo's adventure 60 years earlier, and how he found the Ring.
- Starring
- Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Richard Armitage
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $1.02 billion on a $250 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 64%
No. 05 · 2013 · Film · 2h 41m
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
Why it matters: The dwarves reach the Lonely Mountain and Smaug.
- Starring
- Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, and Richard Armitage
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $958 million on a $250 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
No. 06 · 2014 · Film · 2h 24m
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Following Smaug's attack on Laketown, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.
Why it matters: Ends The Hobbit and bridges to The Fellowship of the Ring.
- Starring
- Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, and Richard Armitage
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Box office
- $956 million on a $250 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 59%
No. 07 · 2022 · Series · 9h 25m · 1st in story order · optional
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1)
Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Why it matters: The Second Age, thousands of years earlier; optional.
- Starring
- Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, and Owain Arthur
- Creator
- Patrick McKay and John D. Payne
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
No. 08 · 2024 · Series · 9h 6m · 2nd in story order · optional
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2)
Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Why it matters: The forging of the Rings continues; optional.
- Starring
- Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, and Owain Arthur
- Creator
- Patrick McKay and John D. Payne
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%
No. 09 · 2024 · Film · 2h 14m · 3rd in story order · optional
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and traitorous lord of Rohan seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.
Why it matters: An anime film set 183 years before The Lord of the Rings; optional.
- Starring
- Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Luke Pasqualino
- Director
- Kenji Kamiyama
- Box office
- $21 million on a $30 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 49%
Lord of the Rings box office and budgets
The 7 Lord of the Rings films with reported numbers have grossed $5.87 billion worldwide on about $1.05 billion in combined budgets, roughly 5.6 times what they cost. The biggest is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at $1.12 billion, 19% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ($1.02 billion) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug ($958 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which made 12 times its $94 million budget. The weakest was The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim at 69% of its $30 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Lord of the Rings movies
Across 9 rated titles, Middle-earth averages 7.7 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at 9, then The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (8.9) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (8.8). At the bottom: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (6.3) and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) (6.8).
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King9 · RT 94%
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring8.9 · RT 91%
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers8.8 · RT 95%
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey7.8 · RT 64%
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug7.8 · RT 74%
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies7.4 · RT 59%
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1)6.8 · RT 84%
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2)6.8 · RT 85%
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim6.3 · RT 49%
Who appears in the most Lord of the Rings movies
Ian McKellen leads with 6 appearances as Gandalf and Gandalf the Grey, ahead of Orlando Bloom (4) and Elijah Wood (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ian McKellen | Gandalf / Gandalf the Grey | 6 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) |
| Orlando Bloom | Legolas | 4 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) |
| Elijah Wood | Frodo | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| Viggo Mortensen | Aragorn | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| Sean Astin | Sam | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| Billy Boyd | Pippin | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| Dominic Monaghan | Merry | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| John Rhys-Davies | Gimli / Treebeard | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
| Miranda Otto | Éowyn | 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) to The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) |
| Martin Freeman | Bilbo Baggins | 3 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) |
| Richard Armitage | Thorin Oakenshield | 3 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) |
| Ken Stott | Balin | 3 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) |
Lord of the Rings directors and creators
4 filmmakers have directed or created Middle-earth; Peter Jackson has the most, with 6.
- Peter JacksonThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- Patrick McKayThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) (2022) and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) (2024)
- John D. PayneThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) (2022) and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) (2024)
- Kenji KamiyamaThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
How long it takes to watch every Lord of the Rings movie
All 9 titles add up to 38 hours: 19 hours of film and 19 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 19 two-hour evenings, or 4 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 17 hours. The longest film is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at 3h 21m.
The 4 best rated films: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Everything takes about 6 weeks; the essentials about 3 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Lord of the Rings movies can you skip?
3 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 21 hours.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1)2022 · Series · 9h 25m · optionalThe Second Age, thousands of years earlier; optional.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2)2024 · Series · 9h 6m · optionalThe forging of the Rings continues; optional.
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim2024 · Film · 2h 14m · optionalAn anime film set 183 years before The Lord of the Rings; optional.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Lord of the Rings movies in?
Watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, in release order from The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), then The Hobbit trilogy. The Hobbit is set 60 years earlier, but it was made later and assumes you know the Rings films. The Rings of Power and The War of the Rohirrim are optional additions.
How many Lord of the Rings movies and shows are there?
There are 9 titles in the Middle-earth franchise: 7 films and 2 series, released from 2001 to 2024.
How long does it take to watch all the Lord of the Rings movies?
About 38 hours for all 9 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (6 titles) take about 17 hours.
What is the first Lord of the Rings title in chronological order?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1), set in Second Age. In release order the first is The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
Which Lord of the Rings titles can I skip?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1), The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2), and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Lord of the Rings movie?
By IMDb score, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) at 9, followed by The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring at 8.9.
What is the highest-grossing Lord of the Rings movie?
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), with $1.12 billion worldwide. Middle-earth films have made $5.87 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Lord of the Rings movies?
Ian McKellen, in 6 of them as Gandalf.
What is the longest Lord of the Rings movie?
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, at 3h 21m.
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