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I grew up reading all of the Tolkien books. We even named our family dog after one of his characters. When the movies came out, I was there with bells on and went to see each one multiple times with my friends. I rewatch them every year and am tentatively looking forward to The Hunt for Gollum, which is due out in December 2027. I even genuinely enjoy the Amazon Prime prequel series, even though I know they take some liberties because they do not own the rights to the full catalog.
2026 marks the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring’s original release. In honor of the occasion, Warner Bros. and Fathom Entertainment are starting the party early by releasing the extended cuts of all three movies for two weekends this January. From Jan. 16-19, they’ll be playing in DBOX (a fancy “all-immersive” experience where seats shake, vibrate, etc. while you’re watching). The following weekend, Jan. 23-25, they’ll be out in “regular” format. There will also be limited-edition merch, like popcorn buckets and other collectibles.
In honor of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” turning 25, Fathom Entertainment and Warner Bros. are bringing all three extended edition films from Peter Jackson’s trilogy back to theaters next year. The films will screen in DBOX presentation from Jan. 16-19 and then in standard formats from Jan. 23-25.
In addition to bringing the extended films back to the big screen, limited-edition “Lord of the Rings”- themed concession items will be available at select participating theaters. AMC moviegoers can look out for limited-edition popcorn buckets featuring maps of Middle Earth, while Regal and local cinema patrons can get buckets with a “One Ring” design.
Fathom and Warner Bros. have also released a new logo and trailer for the trilogy’s 25th anniversary.
New Line Cinema first released the three “Lord of the Rings” movies in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Based on the epic fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, the three films were shot back-to-back in New Zealand. Peter Jackson directed the films and wrote the screenplays with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Cumulatively, the series grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide and won 17 Academy Awards. The third film, “The Return of the King” earned 11 Academy Awards: the highest number of any film, tied with “Ben-Hur” and “Titanic.” Peter Jackson returned to Middle Earth to direct “The Hobbit” trilogy in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
While the original theatrical cuts of the “Lord of the Rings” movies come in at a little over nine hours in total, the extended editions are cumulatively 11 and a half hours long. Each extended edition was released on home video a year after its respective theatrical cut hit cinemas.
This is not the first time the trilogy has been re-released in theaters. The last mainstream showing was for a weekend in June 2024. This is a much bigger release, though, because it’s an official “event” with popcorn tins and all! (/sarcasm) But seriously, every year, in the week between Christmas and New Years, my family and I rewatch them over the course of several nights. The kids have watched it with us for the last three or four years, so we’ve done the standard editions in order to keep them “interested.” Last year was the first year we introduced them to the extended cuts. (My then 10-year-old did fine, but they were a little too long for my then-six year old.) I’m really tempted to push our rewatch back a month so Mr. Rosie and I can catch them in theaters for this, but I’m also not sure if I have the stamina to do it. I’m sure they’re really fun to partake in. For me, it’s not so much the bajillion hour time commitment as it’s the emotional toll that each movie takes on me. I love the story so much and never get bored, but I do go through it every time I watch it.
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I would be sat. Love these movies.
I worry about bathroom breaks during a nine hour marathon! Still, I might have to go.
We also rewatch the movies during the holidays. The scene that always makes me cry is immediately after Gandalf falls with the Balrog. The music turns sad, everyone is devastated. Frodo slowly turns to Aragorn, and the look on his face ruins me every time.
@Bedazzled … They give you long breaks between the films so you can stretch your legs, hit the restroom, and buy more munchies. 🙂
I love this. My brother and I watch these in sync every year between Christmas and New Years, a favorite family tradition.
I reread these books every 4 or 5 years, Can’t wait for the ‘all-immersive’ extended versions of the films! 🙂
I’m confused. You don’t have to commit to all three in one day, surely?