In 1937, English author JRR Tolkien wrote “The Hobbit,” or “There and Back Again,” a children’s book that ignited one of the most popular franchises of all time in books, film, and television. That means there’s a lot to watch, so we’ve put together a handy guide for those wondering how to watch all the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies in chronological or release date order. .
Tolkien followed the success of “The Hobbit”, which featured a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and his adventures in the third age of the fictional, mystical world of Middle Earth, with a sequel series titled “The Lord of the Rings”. Is. Set 60 years after “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings” follows a diverse group of characters traveling to defeat the evil One Ring. The Hobbit” And the “Lord of the Rings” books later spawned some of the most popular on-screen adaptations of all time, with a total of six movies and one TV show.
If you want to immerse yourself in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies, there’s more than one way to do so. You can watch the movies in the order of their release, starting with 2001’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” or you can watch the events as they actually unfold in Middle-earth, in which case You’ll start with Season 1 of Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” as the show takes place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, as opposed to the Third Age settings of both trilogies.
Here’s a full breakdown of both options.
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit Movies in Release Order
The most straightforward way to view the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies is in order of their release dates. Directed by Peter Jackson, the first film in the franchise, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” came out in 2001 and performed brilliantly, hitting the #1 spot in the US box office and winning awards afterwards. For Cinematography, Makeup, Score and VFX at the Academy Awards.
After the release of “Fellowship”, the next two entries in the trilogy came quickly as all three were shot simultaneously, with “The Two Towers”, premiering in 2002, and “The Return of the King” in 2003.
Since the start of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, it’s been nearly a decade until audiences have had the opportunity to visit Middle-earth once again. Directed by Jackson, the “Hobbit” trilogy began in 2012, with its films released in rapid succession like “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Last but not least, Amazon Prime Video returns to Middle Earth this year, this time in TV format, with the epic, high-budget series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
So here’s how to watch all the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies (and series) in the order of their release:
- The 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)
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022 – )
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in chronological order
To watch “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movies in chronological order, you’ll need to start with “The Rings of Power,” which is very close to the events of “The Lord of the Rings” or “The Lord of the Rings.” happens first. The Hobbit “films. The show takes place during 1500–1700 SA (or the Second Era) – approximately 5,000 years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings”. It sees the beginning of the formation of the One Ring, and features Third Age elves such as Galadriel and Elrond, who due to their long lifespans also lived in the Second Age.
After that, you’ll jump ahead a thousand years to the third age of the “Hobbit” trilogy, which you can watch in the order it was released. The trilogy follows Bilbo Baggins and fellow Hobbits on their quest to take back their Dwarven kingdom that was taken from them by Smaug the Dragon. The three movies take place between 2941 and 2924 TA.
Finally, you can jump ahead to watch the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy in the order of its release, which takes place approximately sixty years after the events of “The Hobbit”, which takes place on Bilbo’s 111th birthday in the third year 3001. starts from age. The films see Frodo and his friends attempting to save the world from the evils of Sauron: aka The Lord of the Rings.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022 – )
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- The 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)
where to stream lord of the rings movies
“The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers,” and “The Return of the King” are all available to stream with a subscription to HBO Max or Amazon Prime.
What About The Hobbit Movies?
“An Unexpected Journey,” “The Desolation of Smaug” and “The Battle of the Five Armies” are all available to watch with a subscription to HBO Max or Amazon Prime.
And ‘The Rings of Power’?
Season 1 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video. A second season is currently in the works, although there is no release date yet.
