In what order should you watch The Lord of the Rings?

To watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, you have two options. Start by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) for a first look, or by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey If you want to follow the timeline of the Middle-earth.

What is the correct order to watch *The Lord of the Rings* saga?

Both trilogies of Peter Jackson form a single saga, adapted from the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Here are the two ways to view them.

1. Viewing order by release date

If you're new to this, follow the’output order at the movie theater. This is the most recommended option, because it corresponds to the order in which Peter Jackson has built his own world on screen.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001
2. The Lord of the Rings: Les Deux Tours in 2002
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003
4. The Hobbit: An unexpected journey in 2012
5. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 2013
6. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014

First, you discover the The Lord of the Rings trilogy, then you go back in time with the The Hobbit trilogy, which serves as a prequel.

2. Lord of the Rings chronological order

If you want to follow the timeline The inner workings of Middle-earth begin with *The Hobbit*.

1. The Hobbit: An unexpected journey in 2012
2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 2013
3. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001
5. The Lord of the Rings: Les Deux Tours in 2002
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003

Want to go even further back in time? The series The Rings of Power, available on Amazon Prime Video, takes place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, that is, thousands of years before *The Hobbit*. If you want to follow the complete timeline, place it right at the beginning, before the six movies.

The Lord of the Rings Movie Series: Everything You Need to Know

The series has a total of 6 movies directed by Peter Jackson. Two trilogies echo one another: the The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) and the The Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014). Here is a summary of each film, in the order they were released in theaters.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

It's the first film of the trilogy, released in theaters in 2001. The story begins with the’Single Ring, an artifact forged by the Lord of Darkness Sauron to consolidate his power over the Middle-earth.

The ring, lost for years, resurfaces in the hobbit’s hands Bilbon Sacquet. He passes it on to his nephew Frodon, who realizes his evil nature and leaves with the Fellowship of the Ring to destroy it on Mount Doom.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

This second part, often cited a fan favorite, marks a turning point in the War of the Ring. The wizard Saroumane, an ally of Sauron, seeks to invade the kingdom of Rohan. The narrative then branches out among several groups of characters:

• Sam and Frodo continue their quest toward Mordor, guided by the strange Gollum.
• Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli join the defense of the fortress at the Helm's Deep, besieged by a massive army of orcs.
• Merry and Pippin, captured by the Orcs, escape and find refuge with the Ents, these creatures, guardians of the forest.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The Return of the King is the third and final film of the trilogy. Released in 2003, he won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture. The story reaches its climax on two fronts:

• Frodo and his companions continue their dangerous journey toward the Mount Doom, even as the Ring exerts an increasingly strong influence over the hobbit.
• Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf lead the army of Gondor into a memorable battle to defend the city of Minas Tirith against Sauron's forces.
• The destruction of the Ring brings an end to the Dark Lord's reign and seals the The King's Return on the throne.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

This movie, released in 2012, launches the The Hobbit trilogy. It follows Bilbon Sacquet, who leads a peaceful life in the Shire until the wizard comes to visit Gandalf.

He drags her into a shipping led by the dwarf Thorin Écu-de-Chêne. Their goal: to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor, which has fallen under the dragon’s rule Smaug.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Released in 2013, this second installment of *The Hobbit* follows Bilbo and the company of dwarves as they face numerous hazards, among orcs and giant spiders. In particular, they travel through the forest of Mirkwood, where the elves capture them.

Bilbo must use a ruse to free his companions before the Final Encounter with the Dragon Smaug, which serves as the film's cliffhanger.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Released in 2014, this film brings the adventure of Bilbo Baggins and the company of dwarves. Several factions are vying for control of the Lonely Mountain and its immense treasure, which sets off an epic confrontation:

• Orcs, dwarves, and humans clash in the Battle of the Five Armies, where Bilbo plays a key role in trying to prevent the worst from happening.
• The film ends with the Bilbo's Return to the Shire, which brings the story full circle before the events of *The Lord of the Rings*.

What is the connection between *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Hobbit*?

These are two stories by J.R.R. Tolkien that take place in the same universe, the Middle-earth. Yet their tones and protagonists are very different.

A prequel and its sequel

The Hobbit is actually a prequel from Lord of the Rings. The story takes place around 60 to 70 years old before the War of the Ring. Originally, Tolkien wrote *The Hobbit* as a children's story, which explains its lighter tone compared to the dark atmosphere of the Lord of the Rings.

Two quests linked by the One Ring

The Hobbit follows the adventures of Bilbon Sacquet (played by Martin Freeman and Ian Holm) and thirteen companions. Their goal is to reclaim a treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug. This is also when Bilbo finds the’single ring, compared to Gollum.

Decades later, The Lord of the Rings tells the story of the quest for Frodon (played by Elijah Wood) and the Fellowship of the Ring. Their mission: to destroy this ring in order to defeat the lord Sauron.

Two trilogies by Peter Jackson

"The Hobbit" was adapted into a trilogy between 2012 and 2014, from the book by Tolkien published in 1937. *The Lord of the Rings* was released in 2001–2003, adapted from the three volumes published between 1954 and 1955.

Characters that appear in both sagas

The main characters change, with Bilbon on the one hand, and Frodon on the other hand. But several familiar characters serve as a link between the two trilogies:

• Gandalf guides the heroes through both adventures.
• Gollum appears in both stories, still obsessed with his «treasure.».
• Frodon makes a brief appearance in the prologue to the first *Hobbit* book, alongside an elderly Bilbo, and is given the book that sets the story in motion.

Should you watch *The Hobbit* or *The Lord of the Rings* first?

Each trilogy is a complete adventure, with its own quest and characters. So you can start with either one without getting lost. That said, the order you choose really changes the experience.

For a first time, it's best to start with the Lord of the Rings (2001). This is the order conceived by Peter Jackson, and the story gains in impact as a result. The *Hobbit* trilogy thus naturally takes on its role as a prequel.

Lord of the Rings: should you opt for the long version?

If you want to get the most out of the trilogy, you'd better prefer long versions. The extended edit by Peter Jackson delves deeper into the story and develops characters who were overlooked in the movie.

There, you'll discover more scenes centered around Théodred, Boromir, Faramir or Gandalf. Battles such as the Helm's Deep gain depth, and the War of the Ring takes on its full meaning. Specifically, the extended version of the Two Towers adds nearly 45 minutes compared to the theatrical version.

For a quick first look, the theatrical cut is still perfect. To relive it all in detail, the extended versions are the best choice.

Now you know the correct order to watch *The Lord of the Rings* movies and *The Hobbit* trilogy.

And if you like to explore long-running series in the right order, find out how to watch Star Wars, Harry Potter or even movies Marvel.