The Best Movie Trilogy Ever Is Returning To Theaters – Here's Where You Can Watch It
What is the best trilogy of all time? Fans might immediately jump to George Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy or maybe Christopher Nolan's more recent Dark Knight trilogy. The more prestige audiences might pull out "The Godfather" trilogy, even if the final chapter doesn't match up to the quality of the first two installments (especially since Francis Ford Coppola revisited them with a superior cut of the final chapter). The indie crowd may put forth Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's evolving love story. But honestly, there's really only one answer that makes sense.
Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is the greatest motion picture trilogy of all time. An incredible feat of blockbuster filmmaking and a box office phenomenon, all three movies were shot back-to-back in one of the biggest risks ever taken by a Hollywood studio on a largely untested filmmaker. The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy doesn't have an installment that brings the franchise down a peg. Every single movie combines to form a beautiful fantasy tapestry packed with stunning vistas, enchanting characters, incredible visual effects, and unbelievable adventure. And soon, you'll be able to experience the ultimate vision of Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved books.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy will be returning to theaters in June, but this version of the movies has never been screened in theaters before. All three films will be the 4K remastered Extended Editions, which were only just released back in 2020. That means you're about to spend many hours in theaters if you want to follow Frodo and his journey across Middle-earth on the big screen again.
When is Lord of the Rings returning to theaters?
Back when "The Hobbit" trilogy was hitting theaters, Warner Bros. hosted special theatrical screenings of the extended cuts of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in theaters for the first time ever. Rarely have these much longer versions of the movies hit the big screen, and the fact that they will be remastered only makes it that much better. Personally, I remember watching all three of the extended movies in theaters in a single day, and it was one of the greatest theatrical experiences of my life (and yes, the franchise's many endings are all essential). But don't worry, because you won't have to watch them all in a single sitting.
Fathom Events will be releasing "The Fellowship of the Ring" on June 8, "The Two Towers" on June 9, and "Return of the King" on June 10 in AMC, Cinemark Regal, and other participating theater chains. That's spread across a Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with the screenings for "Fellowship" and "Two Towers" happening in the afternoon around 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM, depending on your theater. Meanwhile, "Return of the King" screenings are mostly happening in the evening around 7:00 PM, though there are some theaters sticking with an afternoon showtime, so be sure to check your local listings. Tickets for all three of the screenings are on sale right now.
Plenty more Lord of the Rings to come in 2024
This is going to be a big year for "Lord of the Rings" fans. Along with the return of the trilogy in theaters, the second season of Prime Video's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is expected to arrive sometime in 2024, and it might even include an odd, fan-favorite character. No official release date has been set yet though.
But that's not all, because "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" is also coming to theaters on December 13, 2024. The anime movie from Warner Bros. will tell the story of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan (who you'll hear name-dropped in "The Two Towers"). The film is set 250 years before the events of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the anime style will certainly bring a refreshing new approach to Middle-earth. However, the movie is still set in Peter Jackson's version of the fantasy world, with Miranda Otto reprising her role as Eowyn, who debuted in "The Two Towers."
Stay tuned to see if there will be any more "Lord of the Rings" news worth celebrating, especially with Jackson's films heading back to the big screen.