The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Order: How To Watch The J.R.R. Tolkien Movies

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Is there one way to watch them all?

the hobbits in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
(Image credit: New Line Cinema)
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One does not simply watch the Lord of the Rings movies on streaming… is what I would say if there were not plenty of options to relive the epic fantasy saga based on the works of author J.R.R. Tolkien. Such is a thing that fans and fans-to-be of Peter Jackson’s precious blockbusters should be thankful for as a new animated chapter called The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will soon hit theaters in December 2024.

Of course, one thing about these Middle Earth-set adventures that may leave newcomers confused is the proper order in which the cinematic adaptations should be seen. Well, fans could either watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order of when they were released or by tracing the story they tell chronologically. The following is a guide on how to check out the films in either order.

If You’ve Never Seen The Lord Of The Rings Movies Before

Gollum in Lord of the Rings

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which was published in 1937, and the subsequent trilogy of novels that follow it, collectively called The Lord of the Rings, and were released between 1954 and 1955, are among the most recognizable and seminal fantasy stories ever conceived, which makes the live-action movies that they inspired a perfect entry point for newcomers to the genre. While it seems obvious that you would want to start with the Hobbit movies, since they are based on the book that came out the earliest, we actually recommend watching the Lord of the Rings movies first. The prequel trilogy is chock-full of references to the original films, so it would be better to go in order of release date.

If You Have Seen The Lord Of The Rings Movies Already

Samwise and Frodo in LOTR

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

If you are a devoted fan of all things Tolkien and have followed the most badass moments from Peter Jackson’s big-screen adaptations since the beginning, then we really see no reason to guide you in either direction. However, your familiarity with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies in the order they were released does give you the advantage of being able to follow the films in chronological order without risk of being confused by any Easter Eggs. Plus, if you have not already and you have enough time at your disposal, try watching the extended editions of the trilogy.

The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Order Of Release Date

Before you embark on your not-so-unexpected journey, allow us to explain the proper order of the Lord of the Rings movies and the Hobbit movies. We shall start by listing the titles in the order they were originally released for those new to the franchise or those who simply prefer to watch it that way.

  • 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 Movies In Chronological Order

SPOILER WARNING: As we trace Peter Jackson’s cinematic adventures through Middle Earth, we may give away a few crucial story details. So, if you have not yet seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies (including the Hobbit movies), we do not wish to tell you that you shall not pass but figured it would be most fair to give you a proper warning before we move on.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Martin Freeman in The Hobbit

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis

Nearly a decade after wrapping up his first trilogy of Tolkien adaptations, Jackson returned to Middle Earth with a new, epic adventure film based on the saga’s earliest novel — or, more accurately, the first third of the story. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey stars Martin Freeman as the title character, Bilbo Baggins, who finds himself joining wizard Gandalf the Grey and his company of Dwarves on a dangerous quest to reclaim their home in the Lonely Mountain and their riches from a vicious dragon named Smaug. The movie also depicts Bilbo’s first interaction with Gollum which leads to his possession of The One Ring.

How to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Benedict Cumberbatch

Picking up almost immediately where the previous film left off, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sees Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves continuing their struggle to reclaim their homeland, if not for the titular dragon making things more difficult. Lord of the Rings cast veterans appearing in this prequel include Cate Blanchett as Galadriel and Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

How to watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage

Bilbo’s adventure with Gandalf and the Dwarves comes to an epic and positively deadly conclusion in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. While the characters no longer have to worry about Smaug, the fate of the Lonely Mountain now hangs in the balance as they wonder who will win a fearsome battle made up of various species of creatures from Middle Earth.

How to watch The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring cast

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellan, Ian Holm

The first live-action, feature-length adaptation of Tolkien’s thrilling saga follows Frodo — the cousin and adoptive heir to Bilbo — who is forced to go on a dangerous journey of his own. When the young hobbit comes into possession of a ring that Gandalf discovers belonged to the Dark Lord Sauron, he and others form the eponymous group in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, with the sole purpose of destroying it.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

From left to right: Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli walking into a castle in Two Towers.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, Sir Christopher Lee

In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the fellowship has become divided, with Frodo and fellow hobbit Samwise Gamgee discovering that Gollum is on their trail as they get closer to their destination, Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stumble upon a once-great kingdom whose ruler has been corrupted by Sauron’s ally, Saruman.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Viggo Mortensen in The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Sir Christopher Lee

The saga reaches its stunning final chapter in the 2004 Best Picture Oscar winner, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which earned Peter Jackson his Best Director win and nine other Academy Awards total. Frodo and Sam are the closest they have been yet to Mount Doom but, in order to ensure the One Ring’s destruction, Aragorn and Gandalf wage war against Sauron’s army.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Stream the Lord of the Rings movies and see if you agree that this is the one franchise to rule them all.

Jason Wiese
Jason Wiese
Content Writer

Jason Wiese writes feature stories for CinemaBlend. His occupation results from years dreaming of a filmmaking career, settling on a "professional film fan" career, studying journalism at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO (where he served as Culture Editor for its student-run print and online publications), and a brief stint of reviewing movies for fun. He would later continue that side-hustle of film criticism on TikTok (@wiesewisdom), where he posts videos on a semi-weekly basis. Look for his name in almost any article about Batman.