Each option has its advantages. Watching in chronological order helps you see the story unfold from the very beginning. However, starting with ‘The Lord of the Rings’ might draw you in with its impressive filmmaking and deeper storytelling. How you choose to watch can shape how you experience the story and see the film’s technology and storytelling evolve.
How to Watch The ‘Lord of the Rings’ & ‘The Hobbit’ Movies in Order?
To really get into J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, you can watch ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movies in two ways: chronological or release order.
If you go chronologically, you start with ‘The Hobbit’ series and then watch ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. This way, the story unfolds in order, from beginning to end.
On the other hand, watching the movies in the order they were released lets you see how filmmaking techniques and storytelling have evolved over time, just as audiences originally experienced it.
In chronological order
If you want to dive into Middle-earth’s story from the start to the end, watching the movies in chronological order is your best betexperience Middle-earth’s story from beginning to end, the best approach is to watch the movies in chronological order. Start with ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.’ You’ll meet Bilbo Baggins and join him on his first big adventure.
Next, watch ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ and ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.’ These movies lead right into ‘The Lord of the Rings’ series.
Begin ‘The Lord of the Rings’ with ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,’ then move on to ‘The Two Towers,’ and finish with ‘The Return of the King.’ Watching them this way, you’ll get the whole story and see how everything connects. It’s a great way to understand Tolkien’s world in depth.
| No. | Title | Plot | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Gandalf asks Bilbo to join dwarves on a quest. They aim to take back their home from a dragon. | Gandalf asks Bilbo Baggins to join Thorin Oakenshield and his dwarves. They want to take back their mountain home from Smaug, a dragon. The journey starts in the Shire and goes through wild lands. |
| 2 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Bilbo and the dwarves push on to Erebor. They face dangers and meet the dragon Smaug. | The group gets closer to the mountain. They face dangers like giant spiders and wood elves. Finally, Bilbo meets Smaug in the mountain’s treasure room. |
| 3 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | A big battle erupts. Many groups fight to control Erebor and its gold. | Smaug leaves the mountain and attacks Lake-town. This leads to a big battle at the mountain with dwarves, elves, men, and orcs. They all want the treasure. Important decisions are made here. |
| 4 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Frodo must destroy a powerful ring. He sets out with a group of allies. | Frodo gets the One Ring and must destroy it to stop the evil Sauron. He and his friends start the journey to Mordor. They face many challenges and get separated. |
| 5 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | The group splits up. Some help Rohan. Frodo and Sam head to Mordor with Gollum. | The friends split up. Some help the kingdom of Rohan fight Saruman’s army. Frodo and Sam, guided by Gollum, keep going to Mordor. They face many dangers, including a big battle at Helm’s Deep. |
| 6 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | A final battle begins. Frodo and Sam reach Mount Doom. Aragorn leads the good forces. | The final big fight happens. Aragorn leads his army and distracts Sauron’s forces. This helps Frodo and Sam get to Mount Doom to destroy the ring. They succeed, and the evil is defeated. |
In release order
If you want to see the Middle-earth movies the way they first came out, watching them in release order is a great ideaWatching the Middle-Earth movies in release order is a great idea if you want to see them as they first came out. Start with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring from 2001. Next, watch The Two Towers from 2002, and finish the trilogy with The Return of the King from 2003.
After that, dive into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from 2012, followed by The Desolation of Smaug from 2013, and wrap it up with The Battle of the Five Armies from 2014.
Watching them this way lets you see how the movies’ art and storytelling grew, just as Peter Jackson planned.
| No. | Title | Release Year |
| 1 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 |
| 2 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | 2002 |
| 3 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | 2003 |
| 4 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 2012 |
| 5 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 2013 |
| 6 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 2014 |
Conclusion
In conclusion, watching ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ in either chronological or release order offers a full journey through Middle-earth’s rich story. Each way has its perks and suits different tastes. If you’re new, watching them in the order they were released keeps the original twists and turns intact.
If you’re diving back in or want a deeper grasp of the story, watching them in chronological order makes the history and characters more connected. Whichever route you choose, these movies provide an exciting mix of adventure, conflict, and epic tales that continue to draw in viewers worldwide.
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Sara Sabrena is an experienced content writer and a passionate movie fan. She loves analyzing movies and writes engaging reviews and in-depth analyses of films, from independent ones to big blockbusters. With her background in literature and media studies, Sara adds depth and her own unique viewpoint to her writing.