How to Watch the Lord of the Rings Movies and TV Show in Order: A Guide to Middle-earth’s Epic Saga

JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth epic The Lord of the Rings has captivated audiences for decades, starting with The Hobbit In 1937, his story eventually sparked what would be one of the longest-running and most lucrative franchises in literature, film and television.

Peter Jackson was the first to bring Tolkien’s world to life The Lord of the Rings film trilogy in the early 2000s, followed by The Hobbit movies a decade later. Eight years after the final The Hobbit meals, JD Payne and Patrick McKay brought the fantasy universe to television Rings of Power on Amazon Prime in 2022, with the second season premiering on August 29, 2024. The Lord of the Rings it’s also getting the anime treatment later this year The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrimwhich will be released in theaters on December 13.

Whether you’re new to the series or revisiting the epic saga, knowing where to start can be difficult as the six films and television series take place over thousands of years.

Here’s how to watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, as well as Rings of Power series, in edition and in chronological order.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and TV shows in order of 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 – today)

How to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and TV shows in chronological order

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Morfydd Clark as Galadriel; Lloyd Owen as Elendil in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. BEN ROTHSTEIN/PRIME VIDEO

Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power takes place during the second age of Middle-earth. According to the showrunners, The Rings of Power offers extensive backstory for some of the major plot points in the iconic saga.

“The Rings of Power unite all the major stories of the Second Age of Middle-earth: the Forging of the Rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic story of Númenor, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men,” said Payne and McKay. “Until now, audiences have only seen the story of the One Ring on screen – but before there was one, there were many.”

The series sets the stage for events that unfold in later films, such as the creation of the One Ring, and features characters such as Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), who are also featured prominently in later stories.

The series is in the midst of its second season after premiering in August 2024.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

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An unexpected journey is set 60 years before the events of lord of the rings, and marks the beginning of Bilbo Baggins’ (Martin Freeman) adventure on the timeline. The story begins with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) recruiting Bilbo to join Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his band of dwarves in their quest to reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. The journey is fraught with danger as they face many challenges, including trolls, orcs and a journey through the Misty Mountains, where Bilbo meets Gollum (Andy Serkis) and obtains the One Ring. Meanwhile, Gandalf seeks help from the White Council, including Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), who senses the growing darkness in Middle-earth and supports Gandalf’s concern about the growing evil, foreshadowing a larger conflict to develop.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

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Set in the midst of a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, The Desolation of Smaug continues the journey of Thorin and his company, as they are pursued by the Orcs of Azog and face the threat of the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they seek refuge with Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), navigate the dangers of Mirkwood, and encounter Wood-elves before reaching Laketown. Meanwhile, Gandalf discovers Sauron’s growing power in Dol Guldur.

The film builds to a climactic encounter between Bilbo and the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), who awakens to wreak havoc in Laketown. The film takes place in the years leading up to the events in The Lord of the Ringssetting the stage for the final War of the Ring and ending The Hobbit trilogy.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

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The Battle of the Five Armies takes place immediately after the events of Desolation of Smaug, and sees the resolution of the conflict with Smaug, where Bard (Luke Evans) emerges as a hero by slaying the dragon. The narrative builds towards an epic conflict involving dwarves, elves, humans and orcs, with alliances forged in the titular battle.

The film ends in a timeline where The Lord of the Rings begins, 60 years later, when Bilbo returns to the Shire, where he was visited by Gandalf on his 111th birthday.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies and Billy Boyd in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

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Set in the Third Age of Middle-earth, The Fellowship of the Ring follows the story of Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Bilbo’s young cousin, who inherits the One Ring. As Sauron’s forces search for the Ring to reclaim it, Frodo sets out on a journey to destroy it.

Frodo founds the Fellowship and they face many challenges as they navigate the dangerous mines of Moria and the mystical forest of Lothlórien—the elven kingdom ruled by Galadriel. The film sets the stage for an epic battle that will determine the fate of Middle-earth.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Bernard Hill and Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

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Two towers pick up where The Fellowship of the Ring Stopped, the adventure intensifies as the Fellowship splits and Frodo and Sam (Sean Astin) continue their quest to destroy the Ring, led by the treacherous Gollum. The narrative is divided into multiple threads, following the scattered members of the Community as they face their challenges.

The film’s central conflict revolves around the growing threat of Sauron and Saruman as their forces spread across Middle-earth, culminating in the epic Battle of Helm’s Deep, which finally sets the stage for the final confrontation.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Sean Astin in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

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Return of the King brings the trilogy to its epic conclusion in the final days of the War of the Ring. As Frodo and Sam make their final trek towards Mount Doom, the rest of the Fellowship gathers forces for a final stand against Sauron’s army. The story ends with the destruction of the One Ring, the fall of Sauron and the restoration of peace. Aragorn is crowned king and Frodo departs for the Undying Lands, marking the end of an era and leaving behind a legacy.

Where to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and TV shows

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is available for streaming on Max and The Hobbit trilogy is also on Max. The Rings of Power streams exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education