A Hobbit’s Guide: Watching the Epic Middle-Earth Story in Proper Order

If you want to enter a magical world of dwarves, elves, and orcs, you can do no better than slipping into the world of_The Lord of the Rings_ . This film series is made up of two trilogies, both of which show the end of the Third Age of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

You can experience the entire journey from the Shire all the way to Mount Doom on many streaming services, includingAmazon Prime , Fandango at Home,YouTube , andiTunes .

This article only covers_Lord of the Rings_ movies released theatrically under the work of director Peter Jackson, starting in 2001. It doesn’t include any earlier films like_The Lord of the Rings_ titles released in 1980, 1978, or 1944. It also doesn’t include the animated version of_The Hobbit_ (1977).

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How to Watch ‘The Lord of the Rings’ in Chronological Order

One way to watch_The Lord of the Rings_ is to watch them in the chronological order Tolkien told the tale. As Bilbo Baggins wrote, “Down from the door where it began. Now, far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow if I can.”

This tale is best enjoyed starting at the door of Bilbo Baggin’s home in the Shire, and ending at the climax inside of Mount Doom itself. To enjoy this epic tale in the order J.R.R. Tolkien told it, the following is the order you should follow.

If you think you’re going to make it through this epic adventure in one sitting, you might be in for a surprise. The_Hobbit_ trilogy totals almost 8 hours.The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a whopping 9.5 hours. To watch all six, you’d have to sit for almost 17.5 hours straight. But don’t worry, as Samwise Gamgee said, “It’s the job that never started as takes longest to finish.”

How to Watch ‘The Lord of the Rings’ in Order of Release

Do you want to watch_The Lord of the Rings_ , including_The Hobbit_ , in the order they were released? Many people do this to experience how it felt to experience the Tolkien story in the way Director Peter Jackson told it on the screen. This is because there is information and elements of the story which make more sense to moviegoers who’ve already seen the LOTR trilogy.

To do this, the following is the order you should watch_The Lord of the Rings_ .

Which Is the Right Order?

While you could boil ‘em, mash ‘em, and stick ‘em in a stew, some of the stories in_The Lord of the Rings_ set up the viewer for seeing those tales unfold in_The Hobbit_ trilogy. On the other hand, the actual storyline in The Hobbit itself serves as a backdrop to events that take place in LOTR.

The bottom line is when it comes to_The Lord of the Rings_ , the end of each story tends to mold into the beginning of another. Or as Gandalf said, “For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” The movies are so addictive you’ll see them all from wherever you start. And back again.

When Does ‘The Rings of Power’ Take Place?

Amazon’s original series_The Rings of Power_ happens thousands of years before both_The Lord of the Rings_ and_The Hobbit_ . In fact, it’s in a wholly different era of Middle-earth: the Second Age. Despite that, it does include some returning characters from the later stories, including Galadriel and Elrond (elves are immortal, remember).

Completion fans will want to watch_The Rings of Power_ before the other two stories, but as it’s still running, you can’t see all of that story just yet.

What Is ‘The Hunt for Gollum’?

In May 2024, Warner Bros. announced it had started development two more Middle-earth films. The first of these,The Hunt for Gollum , will be out in 2026 and bring the writers of the original trilogy back. Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in four movies, will direct (and likely reprise the role, given the title).

As for what_The Hunt for Gollum_ will actually be about, we’ll have to wait and see. However, in the books, several people search for the creature during the events of_The Fellowship of the Ring_ . This hunt was a big part of the years-long gap between Gandalf telling Frodo to keep the ring secret and safe and his return to send the Ring-bearer on his journey.

If we had to guess, we’d say this is what we’ll see in the movie, but we’ll know more as it progresses.

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FAQ

• Is Lord of the Rings free on Amazon Prime?
  No. The Lord of the Rings movies are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, but you must pay to rent or buy the movies, even if you have a Prime Video subscription.
• How do I know if I’m watching the extended edition of Lord of the Rings?
  Check the runtime of the film. The extended version of_The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring_ includes an extra 30 minutes of content omitted from the original release, clocking in at 208 minutes, or 3 hours and 28 minutes.
• What should I watch after watching Lord of the Rings?
  If you want more fantastical adventures with wizards and elves,watch the Harry Potter movies in order . You might also like_The Chronicles Of Narnia_ films, which are inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien’s contemporary and friend C.S. Lewis.

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