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Highlights
- The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films set new industry standards, and grossed over $5.85 billion globally.
- Both trilogies garnered critical acclaim and numerous Oscars, setting unprecedented box office records.
- The franchise expands with new movies like The War Of The Rohirrim and The Hunt For Gollum, to potentially reach $6 billion.
The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit film series have profoundly influenced global pop culture and the film industry.
As adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novels, these films effortlessly captured the imaginations of millions worldwide, setting new standards in filmmaking, particularly in the use of special effects and grand storytelling.
On average, each film in the Lord Of The Rings franchise has grossed approximately $835 million.
Across both trilogies, their cumulative box office earnings exceed $5.85 billion, making them one of the highest-grossing film series in history.
The original Lord Of The Rings trilogy was particularly noted for its fidelity to Tolkien's vision, which, while a subject of much debate, did not detract from its box office success, including an unprecedented sweep of 17 Academy Awards out of 30 nominations.
The final installment, The Return Of The King, alone took home eleven Oscars, including "Best Picture."
Looking ahead, the franchise is set to expand with The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim, an anime adaptation slated for release on December 13, 2024.
The movie will be set 250 years before the original trilogy, adding a fresh chapter to the saga and potentially pushing the franchise past the $6 billion mark in box office receipts.
Additionally, another new film, Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum, set to be directed by and star Andy Serkis, was announced to be in development with a planned release in 2026.
In the meantime, let's take a look at Lord Of The Rings movies from both trilogies, ranked in order of their box office performance.
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Gollum Himself!King Of Motion Capture: The Highest-Grossing Andy Serkis Movies
Andy Serkis is renowned for motion-capture roles. His films have grossed $15 billion in total, though he's often hard to spot on screen.6 The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
Global Box Office, The Fellowship Of The Ring - $884,041,698
The first step into Middle-earth was nothing short of legendary.
The Fellowship Of The Ring ignited a firestorm, setting an unprecedented standard in the fantasy genre. Its breathtaking visuals transported us to ancient forests and treacherous mountains.
As the first entry in the epic trilogy, the film follows the young hobbit Frodo Baggins as he embarks on a perilous journey to destroy the One Ring, which holds the power to enslave the world.
It received praise for its visual effects, performances, Peter Jackson's direction, screenplay, musical score, and faithfulness to the source material.
At the 74th Academy Awards, it was nominated for thirteen awards, including "Best Picture," winning for "Best Cinematography," "Best Makeup," "Best Original Score," and "Best Visual Effects."
It grossed $47.2 million on its opening weekend.
The Fellowship Of The Ring went on to gross $316.1 million in the United States and Canada and $567.3 million in the rest of the world, for a worldwide total of $884 million against a production budget of $93 million.
Estimated Budget | $93,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $47,211,490 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $316,115,420 |
Box Office (International) | $567,292,426 |
Box Office (Total) | $884,041,698 |
5 The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Global Box Office, The Two Towers - $948,945,489
The Middle-earth saga continued with The Two Towers, the second installment of Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
Drawing from J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954 novel, the film escalates the stakes of its predecessor, The Fellowship Of The Ring, and also introduces audiences to new depths of character development and technological brilliance, notably through the digital creation of Gollum.
The central plot follows Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, guided by the tormented Gollum, as they edge closer to Mordor with the burden of the One Ring.
The vast production, replete with intricate costuming, breathtaking New Zealand landscapes, and groundbreaking special effects, devoured a budget of $94 million.
Financially, The Two Towers mirrored its artistic achievements, grossing $342 million in North America and $606 million in other territories, bringing its worldwide total to $948 million.
Estimated Budget | $94,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $62,007,528 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $342,952,511 |
Box Office (International) | $605,992,978 |
Box Office (Total) | $948,945,489 |
A New Era Of Fantasy In Film ...The Highest-Grossing Live-Action Disney Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Alice In Wonderland's total gross of over $1 billion kickstarted Disney's foray into live-action adaptations.4 The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)
Global Box Office, The Desolation Of Smaug - $959,079,095
The Desolation Of Smaug continued the audacious journey of Bilbo Baggins with Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves.
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 novel, the film deepens the peril and enlarges the scope of their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the clutches of Smaug, the formidable dragon.
Praised for its fast-paced action and visual grandeur, the film managed to maintain the box office lead with an opening weekend haul of $73.6 million in North America.
It went on to gross $258.4 million domestically and $700.6 million in other territories, summing up to a global total of $959 million.
Calculating all expenses, Deadline Hollywood estimated that The Desolation Of Smaug made a profit of $134.1 million.
Estimated Budget | $250,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $73,645,197 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $258,387,334 |
Box Office (International) | $700,640,658 |
Box Office (Total) | $959,079,095 |
3 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)
Global Box Office, The Battle Of The Five Armies - $962,253,946
The thunder of war echoed across Middle-earth in Peter Jackson's The Battle Of The Five Armies, a maelstrom of steel and sorcery that signaled the culmination of the Hobbit saga.
The fate of the Lonely Mountain hung by a thread as dwarves, elves, men, and orcs waged a desperate war for control of its long-lost riches.
Originally titled There And Back Again, the film's name was aptly changed to The Battle Of The Five Armies, reflecting the climactic, all-encompassing conflict that defines its narrative.
Despite experiencing the smallest opening weekend of the trilogy with $54 million domestically, a noticeable drop from its predecessor, this installment rebounded to amass a significant total.
It grossed $255.1 million in North America and $707.1 million in other territories, for a total of $962.2 million worldwide.
According to Deadline Hollywood, The Battle Of The Five Armies scored a net profit of $103.4 million, when considering production budgets and box office grosses.
Estimated Budget | $300,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $54,724,334 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $255,138,261 |
Box Office (International) | $707,063,077 |
Box Office (Total) | $962,253,946 |
... And On The Small ScreenHow Much Was The Cast Of Game Of Thrones Paid Per Episode?
Game Of Thrones averaged over 30 million viewers per episode in its final season. Its star cast negotiated salaries reaching $1.2 million per episode.2 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Global Box Office, An Unexpected Journey - $1,017,106,749
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey rekindled the magic of Middle-earth, marking the first voyage back to this beloved realm since The Return Of The King in 2003.
The prospect of returning to Middle-earth, guided once again by Jackson's masterful vision and featuring beloved stars like Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, and Hugo Weaving reprising their roles, ignited an extraordinary level of anticipation for An Unexpected Journey.
The story is set in Middle-earth, sixty years before the main events of The Lord Of The Rings.
It follows the unassuming hobbit Bilbo Baggins swept into a quest of epic proportions.
Gandalf the Grey lures him from his comfortable hobbit-hole to join a company of dwarves bent on reclaiming their lost mountain kingdom from Smaug.
From its debut, An Unexpected Journey made a splash, setting a record with an $84 million opening weekend in North America, the highest of any film in the Lord Of The Rings franchise.
Each Hobbit film conquered the box office, but only An Unexpected Journey entered billion-dollar territory.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey grossed $303 million in the United States and Canada and $714 million elsewhere, for a worldwide total of $1.017 billion.
Estimated Budget | $180,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $84,617,303 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $303,030,651 |
Box Office (International) | $714,000,000 |
Box Office (Total) | $1,017,106,749 |
1 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
Global Box Office, The Return Of The King - $1,156,600,472
As the crescendo of an epic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King achieved the zenith of box office success for the series and marked a pinnacle in creativity.
The Return Of The King built upon the success of The Fellowship Of The Ring and The Two Towers, promising a finale that would eclipse its predecessors in both spectacle and acclaim.
The film was universally hailed as a masterpiece of filmmaking, earning accolades for its sweeping narrative, profound emotional depth, and technical brilliance.
Its achievements in visual effects, ensemble performances, masterful direction, and absorbing music score were particularly of note to critics and audiences alike.
At the 76th Academy Awards, the film achieved a historic sweep, winning all eleven Oscars for which it was nominated, including "Best Picture" — a first for a fantasy film.
It debuted with $72 million in North America, setting the stage for an unprecedented box office journey, culminating in its current reign as the top-grossing Lord Of The Rings movie.
The Return Of The King went on to earn $377 million in the United States and Canada and $763.7 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $1.156 billion.
Estimated Budget | $94,000,000 |
|---|---|
Opening Weekend (Domestic) | $72,629,713 |
Box Office (Domestic) | $379,427,292 |
Box Office (International) | $776,766,888 |
Box Office (Total) | $1,156,600,472 |
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