Every Lord of the Rings film and series in order
The best order to watch Lord of the Rings is story order: start with The Rings of Power: Season 1, then The Rings of Power: Season 2, and finish with The Return of the King. That's 9 films and series out so far, about 38 hours. Short on time? The 6 essentials take about 17 hours. In release order, Lord of the Rings starts with The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
Middle-earth's story runs from The Rings of Power in the Second Age, thousands of years before Frodo, to The Return of the King. This order follows the story as it happens.
The essentials are Peter Jackson's six films: The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Updated
The Lord of the Rings watch order
The Second Age
The Rings of Power: Season 1
The Rings of Power: Season 2
The Third Age
The War of the Rohirrim
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Hunt for Gollum
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Rings of Power: Season 1
The Rings of Power: Season 2
The War of the Rohirrim
The Hunt for Gollum
What's coming next
- The Hunt for Gollum15 December 2027
Questions
What order should I watch Lord of the Rings in?
Start with The Rings of Power: Season 1 and follow the list above, which has all 11 Lord of the Rings titles in story order. For the shortest route, stick to the 6 essentials.
What is the Lord of the Rings release order?
In release order, Lord of the Rings starts with The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), then The Two Towers (2002). Switch the list above to Release order to see every title by release date.
How long does it take to watch all of Lord of the Rings?
About 38 hours for the 9 titles out so far. The 6 essentials take about 17 hours.
Should I watch The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings first?
The Hobbit happens first, 60 years before The Lord of the Rings. But The Lord of the Rings was made first, and many fans recommend starting there.
Do I need to watch The Rings of Power before the films?
No. The Rings of Power is set thousands of years earlier and tells how the rings were made. It adds depth but isn't needed for the films.
What's the next Lord of the Rings release?
The Hunt for Gollum, out on 15 December 2027.
Just want part of it?
Watch Lord of the Rings in order with Chronologica
Mark titles as you watch, stick to the essentials and always know what's next. No account needed.