Lord Of The Rings Movies Ranked By Importance To Upcoming Films

The upcoming movies, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, will launch a fresh wave of films inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories. Both will build on and reference the events of previous films, which will be important for understanding the new stories.

There have been several Lord of the Rings movies, both animated and live-action. Peter Jackson’s trilogy from the early 2000s was particularly groundbreaking, creating some of the most successful and beloved fantasy blockbusters of all time. Although his The Hobbit movies weren’t as critically acclaimed, they still proved that audiences remained fascinated with this world.

Amazon has continued to expand its presence on television as well. Its series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, is planned for five seasons on Prime Video, building on a history of home entertainment that started in 1980 with the animated movie The Return of the King. However, these stories from Middle-earth truly come to life on the big screen.

The new films will likely draw inspiration from many existing adaptations of Tolkien’s work, including even video games like The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which added to the overall story of Middle-earth. However, the eight previously released films will probably be the biggest influence, with the first one being particularly important.

8. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)

As a huge fan of everything Middle-earth, I’m excited about how each Lord of the Rings film will connect to what comes next. But it seems like The Desolation of Smaug, while giving us more of the fascinating Elf King Thranduil (who we know will be back in The Hunt for Gollum), doesn’t really set up much else that will matter down the line. It’s a great movie, but most of what happens feels contained within itself, unlike other parts of the story.

The highlight of The Desolation of Smaug is the lengthy conversation between Smaug and Bilbo. Though this scene is captivating, intense, and visually impressive, it’s unlikely the conflict between Smaug, Bilbo, and the Dwarves will be a major part of the rest of the movies.

Because it ends on a cliffhanger, Smaug feels more like part of a larger story than a complete film on its own. It leads directly into the next movie in the series, which is only slightly better.

7. The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

The story of The Battle of the Five Armies kicks off with Smaug’s fiery attack on Lake-town, and from there it’s almost non-stop action. Smaug is quickly defeated, which then leads to a much bigger fight for control of the Lonely Mountain, raising the stakes for everyone in Middle-earth.

I really enjoyed seeing Thranduil in action during The Five Armies, and there’s a lot to love about the film overall. But what I think it really does is lay important groundwork for what comes next. It gives us a much better understanding of the different peoples and their cultures, which I think will be incredibly helpful as the story continues with Gollum and Shadow – it feels like it will inform the decisions made in those chapters.

There are many other significant parts to this overall situation, and they will probably be crucial in shaping future events.

6. The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

While perhaps not as crucial as the other films in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers is still a vital stepping stone to what happens next. It mainly follows Frodo and Sam’s journey with Gollum, and we learn a lot about Gollum’s personality during this part of the story. How this is portrayed will likely influence the way Gollum’s story is told going forward.

Many fans consider The Two Towers the strongest film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy because of its insightful portrayal of Gollum and how well his complex character was brought to life through interactions with Frodo and Sam. The upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum, will likely focus on Gollum’s relationships with other characters, such as the newly cast Aragorn and Gandalf.

The second film, The Two Towers, primarily revolves around the battles at Helm’s Deep and Isengard, and significantly alters the overall situation in Middle-earth. While these changes will undoubtedly impact future events, another movie actually shows what those consequences will be in a clearer way.

5. The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Key parts of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will influence our next two projects. Though the film has many memorable scenes with Gollum, the most crucial aspect is the opening flashback, which shows the initial struggle between Sméagol and Déagol after they discover the Ring.

While The Hunt for Gollum will likely reveal more about Gollum’s past, the film is really about setting the stage for what happens next in Middle-earth. It concludes with Frodo sailing to Valinor and Samwise marrying Rosie Cotton, and we also see the birth of Elanor, who will be the main character in the upcoming film, Shadow.

This sets the scene for the next story, a sequel to the original trilogy, which will be called Shadow of the Past. While events from previous movies might be relevant, the ending of Return of the King – particularly what happens in the Shire and elsewhere – is crucial for understanding the new adventure and where it will take place in this world.

4. The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim (2024)

Although a separate story from the main Lord of the Rings saga, The War of the Rohirrim is significant for the future of the series. The animated film delves into the history of Helm Hammerhand and Helm’s Deep, adding depth to the established lore. Notably, writer Philippa Boyens, who worked on the original films, contributed to the story and also produced this new feature.

Boyens played a key role in writing both Hunt for Gollum and Shadow of the Past. The way War of the Rohirrim built upon its original story provides a helpful model for how these new films will be made.

Like Shadow of the Past and Hunt for Gollum before it, The War of the Rohirrim builds upon established parts of Tolkien’s world with original stories. This makes it a particularly significant film to watch, as it offers clues about where The Lord of the Rings franchise might go next.

3. The Lord Of The Rings (1978)

Despite being made outside of Peter Jackson’s famous Lord of the Rings films, the 1978 animated version proved surprisingly influential. Some story elements that were ultimately left out of Jackson’s films actually originated in the 1978 adaptation, and many of its visual designs and concepts were directly used in the live-action movies.

While revisiting the well-known world of Middle-earth and its characters like the Hobbits and Gollum, The Lord of the Rings offers a unique take on the familiar story. This version explores themes and details that the new films also intend to cover, suggesting it will heavily inspire their direction.

The upcoming series, Shadow of the Past, is heavily inspired by the Fellowship book and will also draw ideas from previous adaptations. Comparing these different interpretations of The Lord of the Rings will be useful for predicting what happens next.

2. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Gollum’s story in Tolkien’s The Hobbit is crucial for the new films. An Unexpected Journey establishes Gollum’s connection to the Ring and his rivalry with Bilbo Baggins. Losing the Ring leaves Gollum desperate, prompting him to begin his own journey to get it back.

This story focuses on the unfortunate events surrounding Gollum’s pursuit of Bilbo and his Ring. Gollum tries to find Bilbo in the Shire to reclaim it, but ultimately falls into Sauron’s hands. The film will primarily show Aragorn and Gandalf searching for Gollum as these events unfold.

Because of this, The Hunt for Gollum can begin right after the story ends in An Unexpected Journey. Knowing what happened to the character during the “Riddles in the Dark” scene is key to understanding where director Andy Serkis will start his new movie.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

As a huge fan, I think The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the movie that really kicked everything off, and it feels like it’s the most crucial part of the whole Middle-earth story, especially looking ahead to the new films. We see that clearly with The Hunt for Gollum, which fits right in between Bilbo leaving the Shire and Frodo starting his journey to Rivendell – it really connects everything!

The movie makes a 17-year period feel much shorter. Plus, with a cameo by Elijah Wood as Frodo, it looks like you’ll definitely want to watch The Fellowship of the Ring before seeing The Hunt for Gollum.

It’s a little harder to get a clear picture of what Shadow of the Past will be about, but it seems to borrow heavily from the story of Fellowship. Like that film, it will probably start in the Shire, which is a significant setting for this world. This new movie follows Elanor, Sam’s daughter, on a journey that echoes the events of Fellowship, making it a must-see for fans.

Both The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past aim to create fresh stories set in the world of Middle-earth, and both projects are promising. While we wait for these new adventures, enjoying the classic stories again will get fans excited for what’s coming next.

2026-04-16 16:11