The latest addition to The Lord of the Rings saga is The War of the Rohirrim, an anime film set in the same universe as Peter Jackson’s films. The story focuses on the lineage of Rohan's king, Helm "Hammerhand," around 200 years before Frodo and company’s tale.
While The War of the Rohirrim garners attention for bringing Middle-earth to animation, it’s not the first adaptation in that format. That honor belongs to Ralph Bakshi, whose 1978 version of The Lord of the Rings was the first movie ever based on Tolkien’s world. Using a then-innovative—but odd—mix of traditional animation and rotoscoping, the film adapted the plots of both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers but never had an official sequel, leaving the story incomplete. An animated TV adaptation of The Return of the King, directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., followed in 1980, though it’s unrelated to Bakshi’s film.
Despite its creative liberties and omissions, Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy remains the definitive cinematic adaptation of Tolkien’s work, balancing dense mythology with spectacular adventure filmmaking. Filmed alongside its sequels, The Fellowship of the Ring narrates the beginning of Frodo’s journey to destroy the One Ring in Mordor, aided by companions from various Middle-earth races.
The Two Towers faced the challenging task of being the middle chapter between the story’s start and its bombastic conclusion, making some consider it the weakest link in the trilogy. Even so, Jackson ensures it’s never dull, laying the groundwork for Frodo’s quest’s climax and delivering thrilling spectacle like the Battle of Helm’s Deep.
The Return of the King is Jackson’s spectacular conclusion, depicting the final battle against Sauron and Frodo’s perilous trek into Mordor. This third installment became one of the most awarded films in Oscar history, winning all 11 categories it was nominated for, including Best Picture and Best Director.