Middle-earth, the fictional universe created by J. R. R. Tolkien, has been the setting for a total of 6 films: 3 films based on The Lord of the Rings, and 3 films based on The Hobbit.
In this post, we will offer you the ideal order in which to enjoy The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films in sequence, and we’ll also arrange them by their chronology, and in the order in which they were released.
The following is the recommended viewing order for both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series:
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Following are some more choices for seeing The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films; several of these are very unique methods to watch the films, and they are geared more toward diehard fans who have previously seen all 6 films on several occasions.
What Is the Total Number of Films in The Lord of the Rings Franchise?
There are complete of 6 films that make up The Lord of the Rings franchise. There will be 3 films based on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and 3 films based on The Hobbit.
These films include The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, and The Battle of the Five Armies from The Hobbit trilogy.
Does The Hobbit Come After or Before The Lord of the Rings?
The events of The Hobbit start happening around 60 years just before the events of The Lord of the Rings, with the exception of the latest movie’s prologue, which happens approximately 20 minutes before the start of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frodo, played by Elijah Wood, makes his way back into the story to have a conversation with Ian Holm’s older version of Bilbo about the latter’s approaching 111th birthday celebration, which is where Gandalf first appears in Fellowship.
Chronology of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Films, as Filmed
Despite the fact that this is a sequence in which we saw The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films for the 1st time, we do not recommend seeing them in this chronology.
If you are sitting down to see these incredible films for the 1st time, which is something that blows our minds, then it is highly recommended that you see The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films in the chronological order that they were released. We shall discuss why we feel this way in a minute.
However, in this section, we will arrange all of the films based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in chronological order:
- 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)
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Movies from “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” Presented in Order of Their Original Release Dates
We believe that viewing The Lord of the Rings films and The Hobbit films in chronological sequence is the best way to experience them in order, and we’ll discuss why we have this opinion, especially for those who are seeing them for the 1st time.
In chronological sequence, the following scenes appear in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings:
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
- 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)
The following is the justification behind this. The film The Lord of the Rings includes a number of reveals that might potentially ruin the experience of seeing The Hobbit films, hence it is recommended that you view those films before viewing The Hobbit films. When you see the Lord of the Rings films first, it takes away some of the dramatic weight from The Hobbit films.
And two, although the films based on The Hobbit are enjoyable, they do not live up to the standard set by The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Therefore, after watching the Lord of the Rings films, we had really high hopes for them, and they did not live up to that anticipation in any way. If you view them in this manner, one after the other, with each successive film, you will be awarded in more impressive ways.
However, it is important to note that even this type of viewing may have an effect on some aspects of The Lord of the Rings films.
Some of the events that take place in The Hobbit movies have a negative impact on the Lord of the Rings trilogy because of enhancements made by Peter Jackson to those films that explicitly anticipate events that take place in LotR. However, if this is your 1st time watching the show, it may be difficult to even observe those details, and if you enjoy the episodes in the sequence that they were released, there will be a great deal more information revealed.
In spite of this, there are a few issues with the sequence in which we are viewing, and we are getting closer and closer to the ideal order.
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films should be seen in this sequence for the optimum experience.
If you watch The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films in this sequence, you will avoid the most problematic aspect of chronological narrative order, which is the notion that several details are presumed to be known by the viewer because The Hobbit was published after The Lord of the Rings.
The story of The Hobbit is presented in the form of a reminiscence by the elderly Bilbo Baggins while he is making arrangements for his 111th birthday and chronicling his travels, as shown at the opening of The Fellowship of the Ring.
In addition to the narrative of the Necromancer and how it represents the return of Sauron, practically every aspect of that introduction runs straight over the head of somebody who is not acquainted with the initial Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Furthermore, the exact explanation of why Gollum’s ring is a source of evil is not explained in the movies; rather, it is presumed that the spectator is aware of this information.
The following is the recommended chronology in which to see the films based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit:
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The second problem that is fixed by this arrangement is that if you watch the movies in the order that they were released, which fixes the problem with the sequence of the stories, you will finish with the Battle of the Five Armies.
Compared to The Lord of the Rings, this isn’t a very strong conclusion to the epic, and it doesn’t accomplish much to close up the greater tale of the Rings of Power, which you witnessed 3 movies earlier in what was a much more proper conclusion to the series.
In addition, the conclusion of The Return of the King also marks the conclusion of Bilbo’s narrative, which means that you are presented with the conclusion of his story before you are even aware of its full breadth.
Conclusion
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies are epic fantasy adventures that have captivated audiences around the world. Based on the beloved novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, these films bring to life the magical world of Middle-earth and the epic struggle between good and evil.
The Hobbit trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who is reluctantly drawn into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, he encounters a host of memorable characters, including the wise wizard Gandalf, the brave dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, and the loyal hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy, also directed by Peter Jackson, picks up where The Hobbit leaves off, with Frodo Baggins, Bilbo’s cousin, embarking on a journey to destroy the One Ring, a powerful and evil artifact created by the Dark Lord Sauron. Along the way, he is aided by a fellowship of heroes, including the wise wizard Gandalf, the brave warrior Aragorn, and the loyal hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam.
Overall, both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies are visually stunning and feature top-notch performances by their talented casts. They are must-see films for any fan of fantasy or an epic adventure.
