Lord of the Rings movies in order (2026)
9 released titles (7 movies, 2 series seasons), about 38 hours of viewing. Next release: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power — Season 3, 11 Nov 2026.
Last verified 23 Oct 2026.
The order the films and seasons came out, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. The recommended first watch: The Hobbit and the newer titles were written for an audience that already knew the trilogy.
11 titles · release order · 9 count towards completion
Community picks
Once a few people vote on the titles, this shows the Lord of the Rings entries the community calls must-watch, the ones you can skip on a first run, and the highest rated. Open any title and tap 🔥, 👍 or 😴.
How to watch Lord of the Rings: the short version
Middle-earth on screen is smaller than it feels: six Peter Jackson films (The Lord of the Rings, 2001–2003, and The Hobbit, 2012–2014), one animated prequel (The War of the Rohirrim, 2024), the Prime Video series The Rings of Power (two seasons so far, a third arriving in November 2026) and a live-action Gollum film due in December 2027. Three animated adaptations from 1977–1980 exist too, but they are curiosities rather than part of the same continuity.
Release order is still the best first watch. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was made first and explains itself; The Hobbit was built as a prequel that assumes you know where Bilbo's ring ends up, and its later films lean heavily on callbacks that only land if you have met Legolas, Saruman and Sauron already. Chronological order (Rings of Power, then War of the Rohirrim, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings) works well for a rewatch, when the story of the Ring from forging to fire is the point.
Theatrical or extended? The theatrical cuts total 9 h 18 m for The Lord of the Rings and 7 h 54 m for The Hobbit. The extended editions add roughly 30 minutes per Lord of the Rings film (228, 235 and 252 minutes) and are generally considered the better versions; the Hobbit extensions (182, 186 and 164 minutes) add more spectacle than story and are strictly for fans. We list theatrical runtimes and note the extended ones on each card.
The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age, thousands of years before any of the films, so it sits first chronologically but is entirely skippable on a first run: it was made by a different team for Amazon, borrows the films' look, and tells a story the films only reference in prologues. All told, the six films plus War of the Rohirrim run 19 h 26 m in theatrical form (about 23 h extended); add 16 Rings of Power episodes at roughly 18 hours and the complete released catalogue is about 37–38 hours.
Orders explained
The order the films and seasons came out, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. The recommended first watch: The Hobbit and the newer titles were written for an audience that already knew the trilogy.
In-universe order: the Second Age (The Rings of Power), then Rohan's founding legend, Bilbo's quest, and the War of the Ring. The upcoming Hunt for Gollum is placed just before The Fellowship of the Ring; the 1977–1980 animated versions are a separate continuity and are listed at the end.
Just the two Jackson trilogies in story order: The Hobbit, then The Lord of the Rings. The classic weekend marathon; about 17 h 12 m theatrical or 20 h 47 m extended.
Optional extras
Three animated versions made before Peter Jackson: the Rankin/Bass Hobbit (1977) and Return of the King (1980) TV specials and Ralph Bakshi's cinema film (1978). Turn these on if you want the complete screen history; skip them if you just want the story.
Frequently asked
Should I watch The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings first?
Watch The Lord of the Rings first. The Hobbit films were made nine years later as prequels and assume you know the trilogy: they add characters such as Legolas and Saruman for recognition value and end on a direct hand-off into The Fellowship of the Ring. Watching The Hobbit first is fine on a rewatch, when you want the story in chronological order.
What is the chronological order of the Lord of the Rings movies?
Story order is: The Rings of Power (Second Age), The War of the Rohirrim (about 200 years before the trilogy), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, The Battle of the Five Armies, then The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The Hunt for Gollum (2027) will slot in around The Fellowship of the Ring.
Are the extended editions worth it?
For The Lord of the Rings, yes: the extended editions (228, 235 and 252 minutes) restore character scenes, more of Boromir, Faramir and Saruman's ending, and most fans treat them as the definitive versions. For The Hobbit the extended cuts (182, 186 and 164 minutes) mostly add length to films that are already long; stick with the theatrical versions unless you love the trilogy.
How long does it take to watch all the Lord of the Rings movies?
The Lord of the Rings trilogy runs 9 h 18 m theatrical or 11 h 55 m extended. Add The Hobbit (7 h 54 m theatrical, 8 h 52 m extended) for 17 h 12 m or 20 h 47 m. The War of the Rohirrim adds another 2 h 14 m, and the 16 Rings of Power episodes released so far run roughly 18 hours.
Is The Rings of Power canon? Do I need to watch it before the films?
It is a separate production: Amazon licensed only the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, not The Silmarillion, so the writers invented a great deal and compressed thousands of years of Second Age history. It is designed to look like Jackson's films but is not connected to them. You do not need it before the films; the trilogy's own prologue covers everything you need about the Rings' forging.
Where does The War of the Rohirrim fit in the timeline?
About 200 years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, in the Third Age. It tells the story of Helm Hammerhand, the king of Rohan after whom Helm's Deep is named, so it plays best after The Two Towers if you want the payoff, or first in a strict chronological run.
When is The Hunt for Gollum coming out?
Warner Bros. has it dated for 17 December 2027 in US cinemas, per trade reports from May 2025 (it was originally pencilled in for 2026). Andy Serkis directs and plays Gollum, with Peter Jackson producing. Filming began in New Zealand in July 2026.
Is The Rings of Power season 3 out yet?
Not yet. Season 3 finished filming in late 2025 and is scheduled to start on Prime Video on 11 November 2026, with four episodes at launch, two on 18 November and the final two on 25 November. It is set five years after season 2, as Sauron works towards forging the One Ring.
Should I watch the 1970s animated Hobbit and Lord of the Rings?
Only out of curiosity. The Rankin/Bass Hobbit (1977) is a charming television special; Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings (1978) is a bold rotoscoped film that stops partway through The Two Towers; the Rankin/Bass Return of the King (1980) is a sequel to their Hobbit, not to Bakshi. None connects to the Jackson films.