How to Watch The Lord of the Rings in Order

There are 3 films in the The Lord of the Rings franchise. Below is the full list in release-date order — the simplest way to watch. For some franchises the in-universe chronological order differs; where it does, we note it.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy consists of three epic fantasy films, based on the influential novels written by J. R. R. Tolkien, directed by Peter Jackson.

1. 1
   The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) December 18, 2001

   Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer an…

2. 2
   The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) December 18, 2002

   Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and …

3. 3
   The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) December 17, 2003

   As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne …

Film lists and dates come from TMDB. “In order” here means release-date order; a franchise's in-universe timeline can differ. NewsGiga links only to legitimate sources and never to pirated content.