This weekend sees the launch of Prime Video The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Amazon’s large size series is one of the Big TV event of the year, and it’s also a great reason to revisit previous entries in JRR Tolkien’s universe.
Believe it or not, it’s been almost a decade since Peter Jackson’s third and final Hobbit movie, Battle of the Five Armies, was released in cinemas. Long wait for more entertainment in that world and it’s exciting to be able to come back (and Ring of Power Not all; an anime is on the way).
There’s also plenty to catch up on! While Ring of Power can take place thousands of years before the movies, it’s only natural that you’d want to revisit earlier versions of the franchise and learn some of your Middle-earth knowledge. So here’s a guide to watching the movies or a summary of important clips to watch before a new show.
Order of the Lord of the Rings clocks
If you just want to watch the Peter Jackson saga, you have two options. You can view them in chronological, narrative order:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
The Hobbits: Battle of the Five Armies (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
Lord of the Rings: Friendship of the Ring (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (see above) Main video and HBO Max)
Alternatively, you can view them in release order:
Lord of the Rings: Friendship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbits: Battle of the Five Armies
If you’re a perfectionist, you can also watch cartoons from the late 1970s and early 1980s. It makes no sense to put these in chronological order, but they’ll come first. in order of release (obviously), starting in 1977 Hobbits (available to rent or buy digitally on the VOD platform), turning to 1978 Lord of the Ringsand then the 1980s The return of the King (not available online; you will have to purchase a physical copy).
But hey, it’s over 17 hours before watching the show (or 22, if you include cartoons). Not everyone has that much time! Here are some alternatives if you don’t want to go that route.
If you want a quick update without watching anything
Rings of Power not based on any particular book, instead constructing the Addendums after Tolkien’s script.
The program is Set in the second era (this Map about what Middle-earth looks like), the following war against Morgoth. That’s long, long before the events of the film, but there are still plenty of memorable characters and places to appear in both.
Galadriel, played by Cate Blanchett in the film, is an important character in the film. Polygon’s Susana Polo talked to actor Morfydd Clark about the goblin queen and delve into the character’s lore.
Elrond (Robert Aramayo), Isildur (Maxim Baldry) and Sauron (we really don’t know) are other characters from the movies that we know will be on the show, and fans of the books (or video games). Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War) will surely recognize Celebrimbor.
Harfoots, a type of Hobbit, will be on the show. The goblins are a big partas Shorty and Orcs.
If you want to see the most relevant
We have collected some relevant clips for you! Some are related to returning characters, some are related to setting back, some have a similar ~ vibe.
Galadriel’s introduction
Moria Sequence
When Galadriel banished Sauron (and called him Morgoth’s servant)
The Siege of Barad-dûr
Saruman tells the story of the Orcs to a newly born Uruk-hai
That time Legolas mentioned Morgoth
