OrderToWatch

Middle-earth watch order

Lord of the Rings movies in order, release and chronological. Updated October 20, 2026.

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 to watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order: the full guide

All 9 films and series in the Middle-earth franchise, in release order and in chronological (story) order. The first in release order is The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001); the first in chronological order is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) (set in Second Age).

Release order

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Movie, 2001): The Fellowship forms; the place to start.
  2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Movie, 2002): The Fellowship split three ways; Helm's Deep.
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Movie, 2003): The War of the Ring ends; won 11 Oscars.
  4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Movie, 2012): Bilbo's adventure 60 years earlier, and how he found the Ring.
  5. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Movie, 2013): The dwarves reach the Lonely Mountain and Smaug.
  6. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Movie, 2014): Ends The Hobbit and bridges to The Fellowship of the Ring.
  7. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) (Series, 2022): The Second Age, thousands of years earlier; optional.
  8. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) (Series, 2024): The forging of the Rings continues; optional.
  9. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (Movie, 2024): An anime film set 183 years before The Lord of the Rings; optional.

Chronological order

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) (set in Second Age): The Second Age, thousands of years earlier; optional.
  2. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 2) (set in Second Age): The forging of the Rings continues; optional.
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (set in T.A. 2758): An anime film set 183 years before The Lord of the Rings; optional.
  4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (set in T.A. 2941): Bilbo's adventure 60 years earlier, and how he found the Ring.
  5. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (set in T.A. 2941): The dwarves reach the Lonely Mountain and Smaug.
  6. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (set in T.A. 2941): Ends The Hobbit and bridges to The Fellowship of the Ring.
  7. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (set in T.A. 3018): The Fellowship forms; the place to start.
  8. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (set in T.A. 3019): The Fellowship split three ways; Helm's Deep.
  9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (set in T.A. 3019): The War of the Ring ends; won 11 Oscars.

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.