In 1936, a Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College in Oxford, England, became one of the most important literary figures in history. The Hobbit brought John Ronald Rueul (J.R.R.) Tolkien’s love of language to readers of all ages. The book’s popularity lead to a sequel that would become known as The Lord of the Ring, a trilogy of books published from 1954 through 1955, introducing the world to an epic, high fantasy setting that has been revered by millions of readers for more than 50 years.

Ten years ago today, one of the grandest spectacles ever filmed debuted on the big screen. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring premiered to ecstatic reviews and huge box office becoming one of the biggest films of the year and earning the film an Oscar nomination for Best Picture along with several other awards. In each of the next two subsequent years, the other two books in the series, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King brought similar success and acclaim. Combined, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most expansive and popular film franchises in history.

To mark the tenth anniversary, I have re-written reviews for all three films (linked below) and have collected other information regarding the success of the films. Not since E.T. The Extra Terrestrial has a film so instantly been placed in the halls of classic film. Although many films would make more money and others would rise (Harry Potter) and fall (The Chronicles of Narnia) around it, ten years later, few have forgotten the power and success of The Lord of the Rings.

And next year, Peter Jackson and the acclaimed crew that brought us The Lord of the Rings will premiere the first of two new films set in the J.R.R. Tolkien Middle-Earth lore. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is scheduled to open December 14, 2012 and The Hobbit: There and Back Again will premiere December 13, 2013. Based on Tolkien’s The Hobbit, these two films will follow young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellen) and a collection of dwarves on a surprise journey across the lands of Middle-Earth, through the dark recesses of the forest Mirkwood and to the lair of a great wyrm (dragon) who holds the key to the success of the future. There are many adventures to be had and the content of the book should be easily spread across two films. I know that I’ll be standing in line on December 14 and December 13 to take in the sights of the storied world of Middle Earth, ready to again breathe in the magical world of J.R.R. Tolkien as visualized by the unparalleled Peter Jackson. Here’s hoping the magic and splendor is easily recaptured.

Reviews

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Critical Response

Rotten Tomatoes
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – 92% Fresh with an average rating of 8.1/10 from 208 critics
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – 96% Fresh with an average rating of 8.4/10 from 221 critics
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – 94% Fresh with an average rating of 8.6/10 from 240 critics
Metacritic
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – 92/100 Score from 34 critics (33 Positive, 1 Mixed)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – 88/100 Score from 38 critics (37 positive, 1 mixed)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – 94/100 Score from 41 critics (40 positive, 1 mixed)

Box Office

U.S. Box Office
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $315,544,750 in 2001 ($47.2 million opening)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $342,551,365 in 2002 ($62.0 million opening)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $377,845,905 in 2003 ($72.6 million opening)
International Box Office (U.S. inclusive)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $871.5 million in 2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $926.0 million in 2002
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $1,119.9 million in 2003 (the second film in history to cross the $1 billion mark internationally)
Adjusted for Inflation (U.S. only)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – $436,202,300 as of 2011
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – $459,493,200 as of 2011
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – $490,652,000 as of 2011

Awards

Oscars
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – 13 nominations, 4 Oscars
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – 6 nominations, 2 Oscars
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – 11 nominations, 11 Oscars

Notes: It was only the second trilogy to have all three parts nominated for Best Picture. The Return of the King won all eleven Oscars it was nominated for, tying Titanic and Ben-Hur for most Oscar nominations in history and being the most honored film to win all awards in a single year for which it was nominated. With 30 nominations between the three films, it is the most nominated film franchise in Oscar history; and at 17 Oscars, it’s also the most honored franchise (as a frame of reference, the Godfather trilogy received 9 Oscars out of 28 nominations).

Other Awards
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – 88 awards; 104 nominations
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – 79 awards; 95 nominations
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – 126 awards; 89 nominations