How to Watch the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ Movies in Order

Credit: Pierre Vinet/New Line/Saul Zaentz/Wing Nut/Kobal/Shutterstock

How to Watch the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' Movies in Order

One ring to rule them all! The stories of the Hobbits and their adventures have been around for decades. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (better known as J.R.R. Tolkien) wrote The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954. Of course, filmmaker Peter Jackson was able to take those two books and turn them into six movies nearly 70 years later. Each film runs between two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours each. But they’re well worth the time spent in this fantastical land. These films are incredibly popular, especially the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and with the new TV series inspired by the trilogy out now, many are flocking to watch the films for the first time. If you’re looking to take your first journey into Middle Earth, you might not know which order to watch them in. We recommend watching these chronologically through the timeline of the story, not how they were released. Keep scrolling for our guide on how to watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order (along with the prequel Hobbit trilogy in chronological order too):

Credit: Pierre Vinet/New Line/Saul Zaentz/Wing Nut/Kobal/Shutterstock

How to Watch the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' Movies in Order

One ring to rule them all! The stories of the Hobbits and their adventures have been around for decades. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (better known as J.R.R. Tolkien) wrote The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954. Of course, filmmaker Peter Jackson was able to take those two books and turn them into six movies nearly 70 years later. Each film runs between two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours each. But they’re well worth the time spent in this fantastical land. These films are incredibly popular, especially the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and with the new TV series inspired by the trilogy out now, many are flocking to watch the films for the first time. If you’re looking to take your first journey into Middle Earth, you might not know which order to watch them in. We recommend watching these chronologically through the timeline of the story, not how they were released. Keep scrolling for our guide on how to watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order (along with the prequel Hobbit trilogy in chronological order too):

Credit: New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' (2012)

In the first film in the Hobbit trilogy, we meet a hobbit known as Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm).  He begins to tell a story that happened to him many years ago. We turn back in time to a younger Bilbo (this version played by Martin Freeman), who finds himself involved in a quest.

This one involves reclaiming the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from a giant, evil dragon named Smaug. That creature had driven out the dwarves and claimed their gold for its own.

Bilbo is recruited into the adventure by the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), where he joins 13 dwarves, who are all led by their former king, Thorin. Together, they encounter many creatures and characters out in the wild. This includes goblins, orcs, spiders, shapeshifters, and more.

Bilbo eventually crosses paths with a creature named Gollum (played in motion capture by Andy Serkis), who accidentally drops a golden ring. Bilbo takes it, and the creature confronts him, but the hobbit escapes with the ring, which grants him the power to become invisible.

We also learn an Orc war chief named Azog has placed a bounty on Thorin’s head. Azog and his orcs engage in battle with the group. Things take a perilous turn for our heroes, but they are ultimately rescued. At the end of the film, Smaug is seen waking up.

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'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' (2013)

This 2013 film is the next chapter following An Unexpected Journey. The group is being pursued by Azog and his Orc party. The group enters a forest, but Gandalf leaves them for another mission. Giant spiders attack the group, but Bilbo helps them escape. He also begins to understand the dark influence of the ring he took from Gollum; it causes him to violently kill a creature to retrieve it after dropping it.

The dwarves are captured by Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), who bring the dwarves to their king. But the dwarves escape.

Eventually, the group makes their way to the Lonely Mountain, which contains the dwarves’ stolen gold. Bilbo is sent in to retrieve the Arkenstone, a heart-shaped jewel of Earth. But this endeavor causes Bilbo to accidentally wake up Smaug! The dragon reveals he already knows of the dwarves’ mission.

Later, our heroes use the dragon’s fire to rekindle the mountain’s forge. The goal is to bury Smaug in molten gold, melted from a giant golden statue they created.

Smaug is encased in gold but escapes from the mountain and begins to attack the nearby Laketown.

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'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' (2014)

This 2014 film wraps up the Hobbit cinematic trilogy. An enraged Smaug, having just been attacked by the dwarves and covered in molten gold, rains fire down on Laketown.

Thankfully, the evil dragon is killed by Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans).

Bard becomes the new leader of Laketown. Meanwhile, Thorin has become rather possessive of the gold and searches for the Arkenstone. Bilbo had earlier found it but kept it hidden.

An elf army arrives to reclaim a treasure that had been withheld from them by the Dwarf king. Bard, who earlier killed the dragon Smaug, asks Thorin for their share of the gold, but Thorin refuses.

Eventually, a battle of dwarves versus elves and men breaks out. But then Azog’s army arrives! Warriors band together to take on the orcs, who are ultimately defeated.

Thorin battles Azog and kills him. But it’s not all good news: Thorin is mortally wounded.

In the end, Bilbo journeys back home. Gandalf tells Bilbo he knows about the ring and warns him about it. Bilbo lies and says it’s gone. We cut back to “present” time, where we first met Bilbo as an older man, and he greets Gandalf.

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)

At the beginning of the LOTR storyline, we learn that the lords of elves, dwarves and men are given rings of power. But a dark lord named Sauron forges “the one ring” and gives it part of his power. His purpose: To overpower the other rings and conquer Middle Earth!

Men and elves come together to battle Sauron’s army in a place called Mordor. Sauron’s finger with the ring on it is severed, and his physical form is destroyed. The ring is soon lost.

We cut to Bilbo celebrating his 111th birthday and meeting up with Gandalf the Grey, where the last Hobbit movie ended. Bilbo decides to leave his home for one last adventure and gives the ring to his nephew, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood).

Gandalf learns Gollum was captured by Sauron’s orcs and kept uttering “Shire” and “Baggins.” As a result, the wizard urges Frodo to leave the Shire. Frodo does this, taking his friend Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) with him.

Gandalf then meets with the wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee), who it’s revealed has joined forces with Sauron. And the hunt is now on for Frodo.

Saruman takes Gandalf prisoner. Frodo and his friend connect with other hobbits and are helped by a ranger named Strider (Viggo Mortensen). Arwen (Liv Tyler), who is Strider's romantic partner, rescues Frodo when he’s attacked by Sauron’s forces.

She then takes him to a place called Rivendell, where he’s reunited with an escaped Gandalf. Arwen’s father, Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving), holds a council meeting, where they determine the ring must be destroyed by being thrown into the volcanic Mount Doom.

Frodo agrees to take the ring, going with Gandalf, Sam, and other hobbits, warriors, and Strider. But it turns out Strider is really a royal heir named Aragorn. The journey toward Mount Doom kicks off. During an attack, Gandalf is dragged down a pit by an enemy. This appears to be the death of him.

In the end, Bilbo and Sam go off alone on their quest, fearing the corrupting power of the ring.

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' (2002)

Frodo and Sam realize they are being tracked by Gollum, but they capture the creature, and Frodo allows Gollum to guide them. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, who were part of the original troupe tasked with destroying the ring in Mount Doom with Frodo, have split off to rescue two other members of their fellowship, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd).

The group encounters Gandalf. But he’s no longer “The Gray”; he’s now Gandalf “The White” after being resurrected to help save Middle Earth.

Frodo and Sam are captured and try to tell their captors about the dark power of the ring. This is illustrated again when Frodo temporarily comes under the ring’s influence and attacks Sam, who talks him back to reality.

Inspired by this act of internal strength, their captors let them go. But Gollum wants to take the ring back and chooses to lead them to someone he refers to as “her.”

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003)

First, we learn Gollum’s backstory: He was once a hobbit who discovered the ring and then subsequently killed his friend. The ring then began to transform his body and mind into something hideous: his current form.

Back to the present day, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and others reunite with Merry and Pippin. Gollum is leading Frodo and Sam to Mordor; the two friends still do not know the creature plans to kill them and reclaim the ring for his own. Gollum purposely causes a fight to break out between Frodo and Sam, and Frodo sends Sam away.

Gollum tricks Frodo into going into the lair of a giant spider named Shelob, but the hobbit escapes. Gollum attacks Frodo but is defeated … but then Frodo is captured by Shelob!

Sam returns to fight off the giant spider but watches helplessly as the Orcs take Frodo away. Thankfully, Sam and Frodo eventually escape.

Meanwhile, Aragorn makes a deal with ghostly dead men. He promises to help them escape their curse if they aid him. They agree, and Aragon arrives in a battle against Sauron’s forces with the help of the dead men. The battle is won, and Aragon frees his ghostly partners.

The royal heir then decides to cause a distraction while Sam and Frodo climb Mount Doom. Aragon’s army draws out Sauron’s forces. But as Sam and Frodo approach the volcano, Gollum attacks.

Frodo is overpowered by the dark influence of the ring. Gollum locates the now-invisible Frodo and bites off the finger with the ring. Frodo fights back, trying to get the ring back.

Gollum falls into the volcano with the ring and perishes. Sam rescues Frodo, who at this point is hanging off the ledge and in danger of falling in himself. The ring disintegrates in the lava.

With the ring destroyed, Sauron and his forces are destroyed. Aragorn is crowned king of Gondor and takes Arwen as his queen. The hobbits go back home to the Shire, and Sam gets married and has children.