Hold onto Your Mithril! The Extended ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy Returns to Theaters
The dream of the early 2000s is alive again with the re-release of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in theaters. Warners Bros. and Fathom Events are partnering for a special three-night event this summer, where fans can watch the extended AND remastered versions of Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy saga.
Remastered in 2020 for 4K Ultra HD, Jackson’s trilogy will play over three consecutive nights. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) hits theaters on June 8, followed by The Two Towers (2002) on June 9, and The Return of the King(2003) on June 10.
Fans will need extra stamina to last through the event, as the extended versions of the films add up to a 683-minute runtime. That’s 11+ hours of J.R.R. Tolkien’s hobbits, elves, wizards, and orcs over three nights. Plan your bathroom breaks accordingly.
The Lord of the Rings saga grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide and earned 30 Academy Awards nominations. The series won 17 Oscars, including Best Picture for The Return of the King. In addition to its massive impact on pop culture, LOTR boosted tourism in New Zealand, which remains a must-see destination for fans.
When Peter Jackson first embarked on making the iconic trilogy, the fantasy film genre was all but dead. The Lord of the Rings ushered in a genre revival that enabled future global phenomena like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter to emerge. The films spawned a follow-up trilogy based on The Hobbit, Amazon’s lavish The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series, and the upcoming animated prequel film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Now is the perfect time to revisit the iconic trilogy and introduce younger generations to Tolkien’s universe.
Tickets are currently available at Fathom Events.
(featured image: New Line Cinema)
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