The three-year period from 2001 to 2003 has given us three films that are today considered to be among the most memorable works of modern cinematography. Peter Jackson was the brave director that had enough courage to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic saga The Lord of the Rings and the trilogy became a massive hit, although not as acclaimed as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogy was also well-received and it fit right into the cinematic world of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. In this article, we are going to tell you how long each of these movies was – both the theatrical and the extended editions – and how long it takes to watch all Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Movies. Let’s see how long are all the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit movies combined.
The theatrical versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies have a total runtime of 558 minutes (9 hours and 18 minutes) and 474 minutes (7 hours and 54 minutes) respectively. The extended editions of each trilogy have a total runtime of 686 minutes (11 hours and 26 minutes) and 532 minutes (8 hours and 52 minutes) respectively. This means that it would take you 1,032 minutes (17 hours and 12 minutes) to watch the theatrical versions and 1,218 minutes (20 hours and 18 minutes) to watch the whole extended editions of the two trilogies.
What should you expect? A thorough guide to the two Middle-earth cinematic trilogies that have defined the fantasy genre when movies are concerned. You’re going to see a list of all the movies and their run times, both the theatrical and the extended versions. Then, we are going to give you a brief synopsis for each movie and list the differences between the two versions of each movie, and with that, we are going to conclude today’s article. Enjoy!
How Long Are All The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Movies Combined?
Peter Jackson’s two series contain a total of six movies. Each of the movies has a shorter, theatrical version that was released in cinemas around the world, and a longer, extended version that was released on home media. The six movies, along with their run times, are:
Movie | Year | Running time (TV) (hours and minutes) | Running time (TV) (minutes) | Running time (EV) (hours and minutes) | Running time (EV) (minutes) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 | 2 hours and 58 minutes | 178 | 3 hours and 28 minutes | 208 |
The Two Towers | 2002 | 2 hours and 59 minutes | 179 | 2 hours and 46 minutes | 226 |
The Return of the King | 2003 | 3 hours and 21 minutes | 201 | 4 hours and 12 minutes | 252 |
An Unexpected Journey | 2012 | 2 hours and 49 minutes | 169 | 3 hours and 2 minutes | 182 |
The Desolation of Smaug | 2013 | 2 hours and 41 minutes | 161 | 2 hours and 6 minutes | 186 |
The Battle of the Five Armies | 2014 | 2 hours and 24 minutes | 144 | 2 hours and 44 minutes | 164 |
Now that we’ve listed all of the movies and their run times, we can do some simple math. As far as the theatrical versions are concerned, it would take you a total of 1,032 minutes to watch all of the six movies, i.e., a total of 17 hours and 12 minutes.
If you opt for the extended versions, it would take you about three hours long, as they run for 1,218 minutes in total, which equals to 20 hours and 18 minutes. Okay, you might not get much sleep that day, but the good thing is that you could binge-watch the complete series in under a day. Now that we’ve settled this, let us tell you a little about the movies themselves.
1. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- Prologue: One Ring to Rule them All… (Extended)
- Concerning Hobbits (Added)
- The Shire (Extended)
- Very Old Friends (Extended)
- A Long-expected Party (Extended)
- At the Green Dragon (Added)
- The Passing of the Elves (Added)
- The Nazgul (Extended)
- The Midgewater Marshes (Added)
- Flight to the Ford (Extended)
- The Sword That Was Broken (Extended)
- The Council of Elrond (Extended)
- Gilraen’s Memorial (Added)
- The Departure of the Fellowship (Added)
- The Ring Goes South (Extended)
- The Pass of Caradhras (Extended)
- Moria (Extended)
- A Journey in the Dark (Extended)
- Balin’s Tomb (Extended)
- Lothlorien (Extended)
- Caras Galadhon (Extended)
- The Mirror of Galadriel (Extended)
- Farewell to Lorien (Extended)
- The Great River (Extended)
- The Breaking of the Fellowship (Extended)
- Boromir’s Last Stand (Extended)
- The Departure of Boromir (Extended)
- Fan Club Credits (Added)
2. The Two Towers (2002)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- Elven Rope (Added)
- The Taming of Smeagol (Extended)
- The Uruk-hai (Extended)
- The Burning of the Westfold (Extended)
- Massacre at the Fords of Isen (Added)
- The Banishment of Eomer (Extended)
- Night Camp at Fangorn (Extended)
- The Passage of the Marshes (Extended)
- The White Rider (Extended)
- The Song of the Entwives (Added)
- The Heir of Numenor (Added)
- Ent Draft (Added)
- The King of the Golden Hall (Extended)
- The Funeral of Theodred (Added)
- Brego (Added)
- The Ring of Barahir (Added)
- A Daughter of Kings (Extended)
- Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit (Extended)
- Dwarf Women (Extended)
- One of the Dunedain (Added)
- The Evenstar (Extended)
- Helm’s Deep (Extended)
- The Window on the West (Extended)
- Sons of the Steward (Added)
- The Forbidden Pool (Extended)
- The Glittering Caves (Extended)
- “Don’t Be Hasty Master Meriadoc!” (Added)
- Last March of the Ents (Extended)
- Fangorn Comes to Helm’s Deep (Added)
- The Final Tally (Added)
- Flotsam and Jetsam (Added)
- Farewell to Faramir (Added)
- Fan Club Credits (Added)
3. The Return of the King (2003)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- The Finding of the Ring (Extended)
- The Road to Isengard (Extended)
- The Voice of Saruman (Added)
- Return to Edoras (Extended)
- Eowyn’s Dream (Added)
- Minas Tirith (Extended)
- The Decline of Gondor (Added)
- Cross-roads of the Fallen King (Added)
- Sam’s Warning (Added)
- The Paths of the Dead (Extended)
- The Siege of Gondor
- The Corsairs of Umbar (Added)
- Merry’s Simple Courage (Added)
- The Tomb of the Stewards (Extended)
- The Witch-King’s Hour (Added)
- The Pyre of Denethor (Extended)
- The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
- The Houses of Healing (Added)
- The Last Debate (Extended)
- Aragorn Masters the Palantir (Added)
- The Mouth of Sauron (Added)
- Mount Doom (Extended)
- Fan Club Credits (Added)
4. An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- Prologue: The Fall of Erebor (Extended)
- Mr. Baggins (Added)
- Blunt the Knives (Extended)
- Rivendell (Extended)
- A Short Rest (Extended)
- The Last Homely House (Added)
- The White Council (Extended)
- The Great Goblin (Extended)
5. The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- The Quest for Erebor (Extended)
- Queer Lodgings (Added)
- Where the Shadows Lie (Added)
- Elven-gate (Extended)
- Mirkwood (Extended)
- The Master of Lake-town (Extended)
- The World of Men (Extended)
- The Prophecy (Extended)
- A Warm Welcome (Extended)
- The Parting of the Company (Extended)
- The Lonely Mountain (Extended)
- The Spell of Concealment (Extended)
- Son of Thrór (Added)
- The Enemy Revealed (Extended)
6. The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Differences between the versions
As the official Lord of the Rings Wikia states, these scenes have been extended or added in the first movie:
- Bard the Dragon Slayer (Extended)
- Attack on Dol Guldur (Extended)
- “Summon Our Friends” (Extended)
- The Elven-king’s Aid (Extended)
- The Night Watch (Added)
- An Honest Burglar (Extended)
- Dáin Ironfoot (Extended)
- The Clouds Burst (Extended)
- The Darkest Hour (Extended)
- “To the King!” (Extended)
- A Call to Arms (Extended)
- Thorin’s Plan (Extended)
- The War Chariot (Added)
- Courage and Cowardice (Extended)
- An Unforeseen Remedy (Added)
- The Battle at Ravenhill (Extended)
- To the Death (Extended)
- King Under the Mountain (Added)