Skip guide · Middle-earth

Which Lord of the Rings movies can you skip?

Updated October 21, 2026

You can skip 3 of the 9 titles in the Middle-earth franchise and still follow the main story: 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. The essentials (6 titles) take about 17 hours instead of 38 hours.

Skippable
3
Essentials
6
Time saved
21 hours
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Safe to skip

Why each one is optional

What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) poster

No. 01 · 2022 · Series · 9h 25m · 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.

Creator
Patrick McKay and John D. Payne
Scores
IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) poster

No. 02 · 2024 · Series · 9h 6m · 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.

Creator
Patrick McKay and John D. Payne
Scores
IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim poster

No. 03 · 2024 · Film · 2h 14m · 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.

Director
Kenji Kamiyama
Box office
$21 million on a $30 million budget
Scores
IMDb 6.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 49%

The essentials, in release order

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring2001 · Film · 2h 59mThe Fellowship forms; the place to start.
  2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers2002 · Film · 2h 59mThe Fellowship split three ways; Helm's Deep.
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2003 · Film · 3h 21mThe War of the Ring ends; won 11 Oscars.
  4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey2012 · Film · 2h 49mBilbo's adventure 60 years earlier, and how he found the Ring.
  5. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug2013 · Film · 2h 41mThe dwarves reach the Lonely Mountain and Smaug.
  6. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies2014 · Film · 2h 24mEnds The Hobbit and bridges to The Fellowship of the Ring.

Common questions

Do I need to watch every Middle-earth title?

No. You can skip 3 of the 9 titles in the Middle-earth franchise and still follow the main story: 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. The essentials (6 titles) take about 17 hours instead of 38 hours.

How long are the Middle-earth essentials?

About 17 hours for 6 titles, in release order starting with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

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