In what order should I watch Lord of the Rings

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The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy series that has captivated audiences for decades. It is a story of good versus evil, set in a world of magic, monsters, and epic battles. The series is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, and it has been adapted into several films. If you are new to the series, you may be wondering in what order you should watch the Lord of the Rings. In this article, we will discuss the various options available to you.

Option 1: Release Order

The release order is the most common way to watch the Lord of the Rings films. It involves watching the films in the order in which they were released. This means watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy before the Hobbit trilogy. The order is as follows:

1. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
2. The Two Towers (2002)
3. 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)

This order is recommended for those who want to experience the series as it was originally intended. It is also a good order for those who are new to the series and want to start with the basics.

Option 2: Chronological Order

If you prefer to watch the films in chronological order, you can watch The Hobbit trilogy first, followed by the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This order is as follows:

1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
3. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
4. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
5. The Two Towers (2002)
6. The Return of the King (2003)

Watching the films in chronological order can give you a better understanding of the world of Middle-earth, and how events in The Hobbit trilogy set the stage for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Option 3: Machete Order

The Machete Order is a fan-made order that attempts to streamline the Lord of the Rings viewing experience. It involves skipping the first Hobbit film altogether and watching the rest of the films in a specific order. The order is as follows:

1. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
2. The Two Towers (2002)
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
4. The Return of the King (2003)

The Machete Order is a good option for those who are short on time and want to get to the heart of the Lord of the Rings story. However, it is important to note that this order does skip some important information from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Option 4: Book Order

If you want to experience the Lord of the Rings as J.R.R. Tolkien intended, you can watch the films in the order of the books. This means watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, followed by The Hobbit trilogy. The order is as follows:

1. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
2. The Two Towers (2002)
3. 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)

Watching the films in book order can give you a better understanding of Tolkien’s vision for Middle-earth, and how the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are interconnected.