lord rings film series lord rings promoted lord rings film series consisting high fantasy adventure films directed based novel lord rings films subtitled fellowship ring towers return king distributed new line cinema considered biggest ambitious film projects undertaken overall budget million sources million entire project took years filming films simultaneously entirely new_zealand jackson native country film series special extended editions released dvd year respective theatrical releases films follow book general storyline novel plot elements include additions source material set fictional world films follow wood fellowship embark quest destroy ring ensure destruction maker dark lord fellowship divided continues quest loyal companion sam andy heir exile throne wizard unite rally earth war ring series major financial success films collectively highest grossing film series time films critically acclaimed heavily awarded winning total academy_award nominations final film series return king won academy_award nominations including tied academy_awards received film series received wide praise innovative special visual effects development director came contact lord rings saw animated film lord rings jackson enjoyed film wanted know read tie edition book hour train journey wellington seventeen jackson finishing considered lord rings new project wondering new developments computer generated imagery following jackson set planning fantasy film relatively feel real october partner teamed boss negotiate held rights book early 1970s pitching adaptation films based lord rings negotiations stalled universal_studios offered jackson remake furious problems arose turned distribution rights market april rights question resolved jackson decided ahead filming lord rings prompting universal enter deal receive foreign earnings lord rings received foreign earnings revealed jackson originally wanted finish lord rings began location problems decided start lord rings franchise instead universal cancelled jackson immediately received support began week process rights jackson asked write synopsis book began read book months later written treatment film dealt fellowship ring towers beginning return king ending death going treatment visit escaping attacks fellowship united present attends sam looks mirror dies fall presented treatment harvey focused read book agreed films total budget million jackson began writing partner major fan book joined writing team reading treatment took months write film scripts pages respectively left project theatrical obligations revisions sam caught forced instead sam merry ring voluntarily going confronting occurs original novel account time pulled flashback cut story attends council son changes included having rescue action sequence involving cave writers considered having absorb role entirely having kill witch king trouble struck sent new_zealand spending months told films likely cost million unable finance million spent decided merge films june presented treatment single hour film version book suggested cutting battle helm deep losing merging sister shortening having prevent kidnapping merry upset idea cutting half good stuff jackson declared script work completed theirs jackson went hollywood weeks showing thirty minute video work meeting new line cinema new line cinema viewed video asked making films book published volumes later corrected new line choice economical reasons wanted film trilogy jackson write new scripts expansion films allowed creative freedom jackson script accordingly films correspond exactly trilogy volumes represent adaptation jackson takes chronological approach story quest main focus main sub plot sequences contribute directly plots left effort creating satisfactory conclusions making sure exposition pacing new sequences expansions elements kept ambiguous battles creatures shooting continued evolve contributions cast members looking explore characters notable character originally planned warrior princess reverted book counterpart remains physically inactive story sends moral military support develop fight sword choreography series filmmakers employed hollywood sword master anderson worked directly talent including develop film sword fights stunts role lord rings series highlighted film blade documentary sword martial arts featured lord rings illustrator actors discussed roles work series related sword production design jackson began series august assigned crew begin designing middle earth time jackson hired long time collaborator lead major design elements armour weapons creatures november famed joined project imagery films based illustrations production designer charged task converting lee howe designs architecture creating models sets worked art director scouting locations organising building sets jackson vision described meets jackson wanted gritty realism historical regard fantasy attempted world rational believable example helped build filming began plants grow creatures designed believable enormous wings fell beast help fly total pieces armour bows arrows created created pairs feet lead actors ears heads cast costumes woven aged prop specially designed taking different scales account filming principal photography films conducted concurrently locations new_zealand conservation areas national parks october december period days pick shoots conducted annually series shot different locations seven different units shooting wellington jackson directing production unit directors included assistant director producer writer available jackson monitored units live satellite feeds added pressure constant script writes multiple units interpreting envisioned result got hours sleep night locations crew bring survival kits case helicopters reach location bring home time criticised approving filming national parks adequate consideration adverse environmental effects public adverse effects filming battle scenes meant park later required restoration work cast following list cast members voiced portrayed characters appearing extended version lord rings film series post production film benefit year post production time respective december release finishing october november crew immediately going work film period later jackson london supervise scoring continue editing having computer feed discussions fat pipe internet connections look special effects video link surround sound organise meetings listen new music sound effects generally extended editions tight schedule start year complete special effects music editing avoid pressure jackson hired different editor film worked film second longtime jackson collaborator daily rushes hours scenes rough hours assemblies films total million feet film edited hours minutes minutes extended running time final area shaping films jackson realised best scripting redundant screen picked apart scenes day multiple takes film editing relatively jackson coming concept extended edition later screening new line edit beginning prologue towers acknowledged crew difficult film beginning end additional problem inter cutting storylines appropriately jackson continued editing film schedule officially ended resulting scenes including story demise moved return king later demise cut theatrical edition included extended edition jackson felt starting film effectively parts film post production editing chaotic time jackson actually saw completed film wellington premiere filmed scenes remain unused promotional material fellowship ring contained attack fellowship leaves replaced entrance fellowship cut scenes book including seeing extended new scenes attack sam river major cut towers featured visiting leading reinforcements helm deep scene flashback meeting cut revision film plot appearance explained communication greater role defending refugees caves vision like sam having extended fight sequence filmed return king scenes present book sam pass epilogue footage endings wedding death funeral fight black gate jackson deciding scene inappropriate computer generated instead context killing turn killing revealed poisoned final scene cut having armour fitted trilogy final scene filmed principal photography stated like include unused scenes future ultimate edition home video release including takes music composed orchestrated conducted produced trilogy music hired august visited set watched assembly cuts fellowship ring return king music shore included represent characters cultures places example film score recorded wellington virtually trilogy score recorded town hall mixed abbey road studios jackson planned advise score weeks year london towers stayed beatles fan jackson photo tribute crossing score primarily played artists contributed actors extended cuts single sound second film contributed score wrote lyrics music songs translated languages film end song west tribute young filmmaker jackson befriended named died cancer shore composed main theme fellowship different character themes strength weaknesses volume depicted different points series individual themes composed represent different cultures music shore write day film increased dramatically seven minutes music series turned success voted best movie soundtrack time years running passing list star wars africa respectively sound sound technicians spent early year trying find right sounds animal sounds like tigers bought human voices contributed scream sounds unexpected fell beast taken comes beginning end lion addition dialogue technicians worked new_zealand locals sounds recorded sounds abandoned tunnels echo like effect sequence new_zealand cricket fans provided sound army towers jackson acting conductor innings break day international cricket match england new_zealand stadium spent time recording sounds graveyard night construction workers drop stone blocks sounds firing landing return king mixing took place august november film mix jackson commissioned building new studio building fully completed started mixing return king special effects film effect shots second total total increases extended editions visual effect artists began work series number doubled towers crew led worked long hours overnight produce special effects short space time jackson active imagination driving force example major shots helm deep produced weeks post production towers happened weeks return king releases theatrical trilogy online promotional trailer released april set new record download hits registering million hits hours release trailer selection soundtrack redemption cuts minutes footage series primarily sequence shown cannes film festival received showing included area designed look like fellowship ring released december grossed million opening weekend million worldwide preview towers inserted end credits near end film theatrical run promotional trailer later released containing music scored film requiem dream towers released december grossed million weekend grossed predecessor million worldwide promotional trailer return king debuted exclusively new line cinema film september released december weekend gross million second film gross billion worldwide home media film released standard disc edition dvds containing previews film success theatrical cuts brought disc new editing added special effects music extended cuts films included special features spread discs limited collector edition released fellowship ring released november containing minutes footage painting fellowship entering gate sleeve styled included collector edition towers released november contained minutes extra footage lee painting white entrance collector edition contained statue looking statue persona available order limited time return king released december having minutes footage lee painting grey model collector edition available order limited time special extended dvd editions sleeve maps fellowship travels played cinemas notably december marathon screening dubbed trilogy tuesday culminating late afternoon screening film attendees trilogy tuesday given limited edition containing random frame film movies versions limited edition branching version plus new feature length documentary complete series released disc set november released trilogy theatrical versions boxed set april extended edition blu ray box set available pre order march released june film extended blu ray version identical extended dvd version running time includes added credit sequence listing names lord rings fan club members contributed project brand new blu ray editions disc released fellowship ring released discs identical found previous disc blu ray set reception box office performance public critical response inflation lord rings film series highest grossing film trilogy worldwide time higher film franchises original star wars trilogy godfather trilogy film series grossed total billion tied record total number academy_awards won single film return king receiving majority critics praised series los_angeles_times writing trilogy soon find equal critical films pacing length collection spectacular set pieces sense momentum driving according rotten_tomatoes films received approval ratings respectively metacritic based ratings film respectively lists series critically acclaimed time film placed metacritic best reviewed movies list polls conducted opening weekend cinema audiences gave films average grade respectively scale series appears dallas fort worth film critics association films time magazine usa today named series important films past years entertainment_weekly end decade best list saying bringing book big screen sweat trilogy like exerted irresistible pull advanced speakers alike named best movies decade ranking time magazine list series ranks second best movies decade empire magazine voted films greatest film addition characters respective actors list greatest movie characters compiled empire portrayal ranking portrayal ranking portrayal shared portrayal character films ranking portrayal ranking portrayal ranking portrayal ranking academy_awards films nominated total academy_awards won record movie trilogy nominations unexpected journey single nomination battle armies brings series total nominations fellowship ring earned thirteen nominations film academy awards winning return king won category nominated setting current oscar record highest clean sweep academy_awards wins ties record held films additional nominations ultimately lost return king second sequel win oscar best picture godfather fantasy film receive honor widely perceived award entire series films nominated actors films won actor trilogy receive nomination work fellowship ring fellowship ring nominations wins towers nominations wins return king nominations wins academy_awards film series won hugo award best dramatic presentation saturn award best fantasy film films won bafta award best film soundtrack towers receive nomination rule prohibiting soundtrack including music previous soundtrack eligible nomination rule changed time return king receive oscar best music score awarded return king best picture award awards ceremony hosted chair organization time called piece filmmaking reactions changes films books film series provoked positive negative reaction fans scholars novels seen changing parts felt thematically necessary terms characters themes events subtlety fans book disagreed changes released fan edits films lord rings edition removed changes bring closer original changes characters considered seen alter tone themes found books critics contend portrayal women especially films thematically faithful compatible writings despite differences scholar said films found adaptations faithful basic level plot characters depicted appearance novel critics argued characters weakened portrayal films changes events participating battle helm deep taking chapter seen changing themes criticized films terms anticipation proposed film script contrasts subtlety jackson tendency soon supporters series assert worthy interpretation book changes necessary worked series fans book including cast actually met person noted matter simply interpretation book jackson said simply story screen mess words sure lord rings pretty damn cool movie fans claim despite changes films serve tribute book appealing read leading encyclopedia online encyclopedia states jackson films exceptional filming story lord rings probably impossible notion partially supported review published criticized lack spirit tone argues conservative community spirit reflected jackson films division fellowship races legacy release films saw surge interest lord rings works vastly increasing impact popular culture rumored family split series son feuding good idea adapt christopher denied claims saying position lord rings unsuitable transformation visual dramatic form suggestions films extent thinking ill differ wholly foundation added expressed feeling described films having book criticized resulting father work result series success major player film business called mold steven_spielberg process industry like jackson founded film production company video game company finally given chance remake film critical box office success successful lord rings series jackson called favourite son new_zealand toured lord playing hours score harry potter films series renewed interest fantasy film genre tourism new_zealand possibly exposure series country tourism industry waking audience familiarity december lord exhibition opened museum wellington new_zealand exhibition traveled seven cities world musical adaptation book launched toronto ontario canada closed poor reviews shortened version opened london united_kingdom summer success films spawned numerous video games kinds merchandise legacy lord rings court cases profits trilogy sixteen cast members sued lack revenue merchandise bearing appearance case resolved court settlement came late died cancer filed lawsuit claiming paid royalties year jackson sued studio profits film slowing development late filed lawsuit february violating original deal rights earn gross films based works trust sought compensation million judge denied option allowed win compensation act studio ignoring contract september settlement dispute trust new line announced clearing potential obstacle making new film based video games numerous video games released supplement film series releases include towers return king age age tactics battle middle earth battle middle earth rise witch king conquest war north lord rings guardians middle earth shadow directed films based novel prequel lord rings novels film unexpected journey released december second film released december film battle armies released december actors lord rings including hugo weaving wood older reprised roles
The Lord of the Rings (film series)