Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsareconsidered among the best films ever made. The films were an instant sensation when released in the early 2000s, with many people praising their grand scope, faithfulness to the source material, and the numerous feats of technology and visual effects utilized in the production. Over time,The Lord of the Ringshas continued to grow its fan base. The films have become modern classics in every sense. However, when watching the epic trilogy, new and old fans face a decision. Should they watch the theatrical versions or the special extended editions?
The extended editions ofThe Lord of the Ringsare longer cuts of the beloved films,first made available on DVD about a year after the theatrical release of each corresponding film. These lengthier versions of the movies have developed a reputation for being the quintessential way to experienceThe Lord of the Ringson film, with many die-hard and casual fans alike opting for the longer haul more times than not. Here’s what you need to know about how different the extended versions ofThe Lord of the Ringsare.
How Much Longer Are the Extended Versions?
First, it should be noted that the theatrical cuts ofThe Lord of the Ringsare already incredibly long. They are each significantly longer than most movies released today, with each entry in the three-hour range. The extended editions doubled down on that length by adding to the films a vast amount of new content that had previously been left on the cutting room floor.The difference in runtime between the theatrical and extended cuts ofThe Lord of the Ringscan be dramatic. But is it that much of a difference when you’re settling down fora three-hour experienceeither way? Here is how the runtimes for the theatrical and extended editions differ for each film:
Theatrical Run-Time
Extended Run-Time
Difference
The Fellowship of the Ring
2 hours and 58 minutes
3 hours and 28 minutes
30 minutes
The Two Towers
2 hours and 59 minutes
3 hrs and 43 minutes
44 minutes
The Return of the King
3 hours and 21 minutes
4 hours and 11 minutes
50 minutes
The amount of material added to the extended editions varies from film to film. For example, despite the theatrical cuts ofThe Fellowship of the RingandThe Two Towersbeing essentially the same length, 30 additional minutes were added toFellowship.In comparison,The Two Towershas about 45 minutes of new material. The most significant addition comes inThe Return of the King, which has nearly an hour of new material in the extended cut.
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Another thing worth noting is the disparity between the lengths of the extended editions provided here and what is listed on the physical copies. The box set release of the extended versions ofTheLord of the Ringslists the films’ lengths at 238 minutes, 235 minutes, and 263 minutes, respectively. However,these lengths include additional “Fan Club Credits” that can be found at the end of the discs, which account for 20 minutes forThe Fellowship of the Ringand 12 minutes for bothThe Two TowersandThe Return of the King.
The Extended Version of The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The extended version ofThe Fellowship of the Ringincludes about a half-dozen complete scenesthat were previously excluded from the film’s theatrical cut, as well as the extension of some previously included scenes. Some of the most significant new scenes or scene extensions include:
These additions mainly further develop the characters and their relationships with one another. One key example is the relationship between Aragorn and Boromir, which is more fully developed through theirmultiple discussions throughout the film about their differing perspectives on Gondor and the race of Men. These new sequences, in turn, make Aragorn’s promise to a dying Boromir at the end of the film all the more potent.
The Extended Version of The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Two Towersextended edition includes about fifteen new scenes and nearly twenty significantly expanded upon. These latest additions to the film do a lot more to establishthe Rohirrim and their culture, build up Aragorn’s journey to becoming the King of Gondor, provide more lore regarding the Ents and Fangorn Forest, and increase the impressiveness of the Battle of Helm’s Deep. Some of the scenes added toThe Two Towersinclude:
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The Extended Version of The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
As forThe Return of the King, the final film inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy features some of the most notable additions in its extended cut. There are about fifteen new scenes with about two dozen extended sequences. However,some of the scenes in the extended cutThe Return of the Kingare so crucial and impact the story that it is hard to imagine why they were cut in the first place. Here are some of the most significant additions to the extended cut ofThe Return of the King:
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Extended Versions of The Hobbit Films
WhileThe Lord of the Ringsfilms are indeedheld in higher regard and have more fanfare thanThe Hobbitfilms, the follow-up franchise still saw praise for its sharp visuals and allowing fans more fantasy built from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Much like theLord of the Ringsfilms,theHobbitmovies saw extended cuts on release, though the amount of content added is not as substantial. Across the three movies, there are roughly 58 minutes of additional content, only slightly more than included in the extended cut ofThe Return of the King. The difference in runtime is as follows:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
2 hours and 49 minutes
3 hours and 2 minutes
13 minutes
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2 hours and 41 minutes
3 hours and 6 minutes
25 minutes
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
2 hours and 24 minutes
2 hours and 44 minutes
20 minutes
There have been mixed opinions on whether the extended versions fix any fundamental issues with the series. Yet, fans have come to a consensus on some of the extended content. Notably,The Battle of the Five Armies’extra run-time improves the action and adds more context to the titular battle.If you were not a fan of theHobbitmovies, the extended versions are unlikely to change your opinion.Still, likeThe Lord of the Rings’sextended versions, they offer the most comprehensive version of the films with added context and interactions that will please those who want to experience the movie entirely as intended by director Peter Jackson.
Are the Extended Lord of the Rings Movies Worth It?
Speaking on the overall effect of watchingThe Lord of the Rings, there are significant changes to the experience when watching the extended editions rather than the theatrical cuts. The theatrical versions of the film still provide outstanding experiences (they were all Oscar-winning films, at the end of the day). However,the journey provided by the extended editions takes what was already working and adds more context and style that gives more value to the trilogy.
Watching the extended editions will add about two more hours to the already over-nine-hour journey of watchingThe Lord of the Rings, but those two hours are worth it. They are packed with the same incredible quality found in the rest of the films, and, in many cases, the new additions strengthen what was already there, making the story andcharacters even more compelling than they already were.Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, the extended editions ofThe Lord of the Ringsare the definitive way to experience Tolkien’s legendary story on-screen.
Stream the original and extended versions ofThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy andThe Hobbittrilogy on Max through the link below:
