If we talk about Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, it is easy to determine viewing order. But if we place these three films among the rest of the extended universe, taking into account the other feature films and the series, two possibilities emerge for diving into Middle-earth.
When Peter Jackson embarked on adapting the novels of Lord of the Ringsthings were simple. There was no need to worry about the viewing order. All you had to do was look at the trilogy according to the release dates, which also correspond to the chronological order. We didn’t need to worry.
But this initial trilogy was the real starting point for an extended universe: there was then another trilogy, this time built on the novel The Hobbitthen the start of a television series recounting the creation of the rings of power, based on the appendices of the books. Now there’s an animated film and another feature film on the way.
We know the music. It’s the same thing for other major pop culture sagas and this sometimes results in relatively in-depth articles to determine in which order to watch the films. Star Warsthe works of the franchise Alien or how to tackle a mountain like the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
What is the premier film you Lord of the Rings ?
The Fellowship of the Ringfirst film, but…
If we place ourselves in the perspective of Peter Jackson’s cinematographic trilogy, the first film of the Lord of the Rings was released in 2001 and is called The Fellowship of the Ring. However, it should be noted that this is not the first project that saw the light of day in the cinema. This distinction goes to a feature film dated 1978.
Titled The Lord of the Rings and directed by Ralph Bakshi, it has two particularities. First, it only covers the first half of the first novel, with some elements taken from the second (The Two Towers). Then, it is not exclusively in live shots (based on rotoscoping). It offers animated sequences.
Excerpts and comparison below:
What is the order of output of the Lord of the Rings at the cinema?
The release schedule for projects around Lord of the Rings generally arrives in the dark rooms of The Fellowship of the Ring as year zero. This was in 2001. Also including the TV series The Rings of Poweroffered in streaming, this gives the following order:
The first trilogy: The Lord of the Rings.
- The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- The Two Towers (2002)
- The Return of the King (2003)
The second trilogy: The Hobbit.
- An unexpected journey (2012)
- The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Additional developments.
- Rings of Power (2022-?)
- The Rohirrim War (2024)
- The Trail of Gollum (2026)
It should be noted The Rohirrim War is an animated film project which will be released at the end of 2024. As for Gollum’s Trackthis project is expected for 2026. Today, the final title is not known, but we know that the plot will focus on a period in which Aragorn will track and capture Gollum.
Interesting thing to note: there is an effort at homogenization. For the film The Hunt for Gollum, we expect to see some well-known figures again, such as the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), the ranger Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gollum (Andy Serkis), Thranduil (Lee Pace) and perhaps even be Legolas (Orlando Bloom).
If we want to be completely exhaustive, let us also point out:
- The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- The Return of the King (1980)
These two projects are not part of the “Tolkien Cinematic Universe” which has taken shape unofficially in recent years between the trilogies and other projects. The Return of the King is a TV film directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr which has never been released in France. The 1978 film was released in France.
We can finally mention the adaptation of The Hobbit into a Soviet TV film.
What is the timeline of the films and series according to Tolkien’s story?
It is possible to organize the viewing of works according to their place in history. Overall, the films and series are spread over two ages, each lasting a few thousand years. In this case, this is the order that should be adopted. Please note, this chronology also includes films that are not yet available.
- Rings of Power (2022-?)
- The Rohirrim War (2024)
- An unexpected journey (2012)
- The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- The Trail of Gollum (2026)
- The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- The Two Towers (2002)
- The Return of the King (2003)
In what order should I look The Lord of the Rings ?
In this matter, there is no obligation. In the vast majority of cases, the public’s contact with the cinematographic adaptations was made via the trilogy of Lord of the Ringsby Peter Jackson, since it was released first. In addition, it was the most successful project compared to previous attempts.
With the extension of Tolkien’s extended universe to TV and cinema, there is now the possibility of trying another approach, especially for younger generations who have not seen anything yet. Perhaps reading the story in chronological order could leave a slightly different imprint than the one left by the cinema release.
Comment follow The Hobbit and the trilogy The Lord of the Rings and streaming ?
You have the possibility to find the two trilogies The Hobbit et The Lord of the Rings on Prime Video, Amazon’s subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform. Currently, the two works are absent in the catalogs for France of other streaming giants, such as Netflix, MyCanal or Disney+.
Next projects Lord of the Rings at the cinema
Currently, two programs are planned:
- The Rohirrim War (2024)
- The Trail of Gollum (2026)
The Rohirrim War is due to be released in cinemas at the end of the year. It will be an animated film, without live action or special effects. The Hunt for Gollum is expected in 2026 – filming should happen in 2025.
How much time passes between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?
About sixty years pass between the novel and the films on The Hobbitand the trilogy of Lord of the Rings. It is, on the scale of Middle-earth, a brief gap. The general history spans thousands of years (ka series The Rings of Power takes place in the Second Age). Movies and books about The Lord of the Rings et The Hobbiton the Third.
Source: www.numerama.com
