The Hobbit is one of the most popular movie franchises in Hollywood today. Based on a book series by J.R.R Tolkien. This movie franchise has gained lots of love from fans in a matter of few movies, but the order in which they are set is quite nerve-racking. That’s why we have come to your rescue.
The Hobbit series is a very vital part of the Lord of the rings series, which serves as the prequel to the main events of the movie trilogy. This series was released a decade after the release of The Lord of the Rings but is recommended to be watched before watching the Lord of the Rings movie series.
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In this article, we will discuss all the movies that are there in the Hobbit series. Keep on reading this article to learn everything there is to know about this movie franchise so that you can have a better experience.

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All The Hobbit And The Lord of The Rings Movies In Chronological Order
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Genres: Fantasy
Hobbit: an unexpected journey, released in the year 2012, is both chronologically and based on the release date, the first movie in the Hobbit series. This movie’s connection with the already successful The Lord of the Rings series gives it a cushion for financial success. This movie is set way before the events of The Lord of the Rings and begins with an old Bilbo Baggins who writes about a 60-year-old adventure he had.
We see their untouched and hidden thirst of Gandalf for adventure rise in him, growing on him gradually. This causes Bilbo to join the dwarves on their mission to enter Lonely Mountain. Throughout the journey and adventure, Bilbo travels through deceptive lands of orcs and goblins. What not including danger but nothing tops his encounter with Gollum and a gold ring on which the fate of the entire Middle Earth depends.
This movie, in all ways, is an art piece created by J. R. R. Tolkien and directed by Peter Jackson. This movie has done wonders at the box office and, more importantly, in the hearts of fans. If you wish to begin a lovely journey through the world that J. R. R. Tolkien created, then this is a movie you should begin with.
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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
Genres: Fantasy
After setting your mood right and preparing your head for a beautiful journey through Middle Earth, your next stop is Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, a gorgeous carry-forward after the events that Bilbo encountered. This movie is where we saw the debut of Smaug, considered the last standing greatest dragon on Middle Earth.
This film, although about the great dragons, has a deeper look inside the life and character of Bilbo Baggins while he struggles to gain the truth about dwarves and prove himself a reliable ally. To do so, this time, he goes on a quest to retrieve Arkenstone from the treasures of Smaug that got stolen. This time the journey continues east, where they continue their encounters with skin-changing Beorn alongside massive spiders of Mirkwood forest.
At the end of the journey, after encountering major threats, they encounter a fearsome Dragon Smaug who will test every aspect that remains physically, mentally, and emotionally in their body.
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This movie is a great continuation of the storyline, which has been carried forward gracefully and has impacted the hearts of fans and viewers with perfect execution, direction, and acting. This part of the movie is well-adapted and directed by Peter Jackson.
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The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure
It is the final movie of this beautiful prequel series and comes out as the most important movie tactically for the story’s future. Also, note that this was the last live-action movie of Ian Holm and Christopher Lee before their deaths. We finally encounter Souran in the movie as conflicts among men, dwarves, and elves root and start getting serious.
On the other hand, Bilbo gets stuck in a terrible war and ends the saga Bilbo created. The movie picks up from the events of The Desolation of Smaug, where Thorin Oakenshield gives his friendship to seek the Arkenstone, despite the fiery wrath of the Smaug already encountered by Bilbo, after reclaiming Erebor and the treasure from the Smaug.
We can see Sauron sending a battalion of fearsome Orcs for a sneak attack on Lonely Mountain. Besides this, as we discussed, the fate of middle earth seems to be coming into danger when conflicts among men, elves, and dwarves arise and start to root. The movie, as visible, is quite a tactical one for future parts of the movie, which include The Lord Of The Rings movie series.
This movie serves as a bridge for a transition of the story from Hobbit to the events of The Lord Of The Rings, which was released a decade before the release of the Hobbit trilogy. This movie completes the series of the Hobbit trilogy and puts a stupendous and fabulous end to the legacy of Bilbo. This movie is where the events of The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring begin to root, which is why fans connect with part 3 of Hobbit, also known as Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, more than any other part of the trilogy.
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The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
It is the first part of another trilogy created by J. R. R. Tolkien, but technically is the fourth part of the world created by a legendary author. Deliberately adapted to confuse people and create buzz, this movie is officially the first movie released in the entire Hobbit series. This movie was released in 2001 with an ambition to revolutionize the fantasy genre, and it did.
This movie is set 60 years into the future to Bilbo’s Adventures in The Hobbit series. It continues the adventure of Bilbo as it passes the ring of power to Frodo, who connects with the audience the most. This movie is about the adventure of Frodo, who gets on a journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor with his eight companions, each putting equal significance in the storyline. They go on this quest since the land of Modor is the only place to destroy the Ring of Power.
This is the movie where we are elaborated on how the fate of this long-lost ring holds the future of civilization in its hand. Frodo is another young Hobbit who has inherited the ring and is neck deep in the legend, and he has the responsibility as the bearer of the ring to destroy this one ring in the fires of Mount Doom in the land of Mordor, where it was forged. This is one of the longest movies of the whole series, yet it keeps you on edge with loads of content to root for.
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The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
It is the second part of the most famous fantasy series, which continues the story from the events of The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers. The surprising part of this movie is that it follows three different stories. We all know about the attack of Orcs in the last movie. The impact of that is very much visible in the events of this movie, where the group is divided into parts due to the ambush in the last movie. Frodo continues his journey alongside Sam toward Mordor to destroy the ring. Along the way, he is accompanied by Gollum, whom Bilbo met and faced during the events of the Hobbit series.
On the other hand, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli start to lose their balance on the nation of Rohan as they encounter Gandalf, who has been resurrected and revived. The other part of the story focuses on Merry and Pippin, who escape from the hard grasp of Orcs while meeting Treebeard and Ent and planning to attack Isengard, the fortress of Saruman, whose deadly spell is also discussed.
This movie is a great continuation of a Golden Globe award-winning movie that made a huge difference in the world of the fantasy genre with its gorgeous storyline, direction, and the stars’ acting.
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The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Drama
It is the final movie in the entire series that ends the complete story of every movie created by J. R. R. Tolkien. This movie was so crazy that every movie fanatic went head over heels for this movie. Critics and fans have highly acclaimed this masterpiece, and this movie showcases the last stand of Middle-Earth against the fearsome Sauron.
This movie is about an impossible battle where Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and all the forces join together against Sauron and his forces in Minas Tirith. This battle is fought to provide Frodo with a last chance to destroy the one ring so that the future of civilization can be saved.
It has a legendary battle to show, and the movie’s director has made a phenomenal effort to make this movie a gem. The scenery, music, and battles of this movie are just mesmerizing.
Conclusion
“The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” movies have brought to life the rich and captivating world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. From the daring adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the Company of Dwarves to the heroic quest of Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship of the Ring, these movies have captured the hearts and imaginations of millions worldwide.
Through stunning visuals, masterful storytelling, and memorable performances, these films have transported us to a realm filled with magic, danger, and the triumph of good over evil. They have showcased the power of friendship, the resilience of the human spirit, and the importance of hope in the face of darkness.
All The Hobbit And The Lord of The Rings Movies According To Highest To Lowest IMDb Ranking
- The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King – 9.9 with 1.9M
- The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring – 8.8 with 1.8M
- The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers – 8.8 with 1.7M
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – 7.8 with 845K
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – 7.8 with 680K
- The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies – 7.4 with 549K
All The Hobbit And The Lord of The Rings Movies Box Office Collection
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – $1.017 billion
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – $959 million
- The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies – $962.2 million
- The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring – $898.2 million
- The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers – $947.9 million
- The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King – $1.147 billion
FAQs
The movies are adaptations of Tolkien’s works, but there are some differences and changes made to accommodate the cinematic medium. While they capture the essence of the stories and characters, certain plot elements and characters may have been altered or omitted for storytelling purposes.
The choice between the extended editions and the theatrical versions depends on personal preference. The extended editions provide additional scenes and content that delve deeper into the world of Middle-earth. If you’re a fan of the books and want a more comprehensive experience, the extended editions are recommended. However, the theatrical versions still offer a fantastic viewing experience and are more streamlined in terms of pacing.
It is recommended to watch the movies in release order. Start with “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (“The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers,” and “The Return of the King”) and then proceed to “The Hobbit” trilogy (“An Unexpected Journey,” “The Desolation of Smaug,” and “The Battle of the Five Armies”). Watching them in release order allows for a better understanding of the overarching story and avoids spoilers.
While there are no direct spin-off movies to “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series, there are plans for a new TV series set in Middle-earth being developed by Amazon Studios. The series will explore new storylines and characters within the vast world of Tolkien’s works.
Yes, all six movies are directed by Peter Jackson. He helmed both “The Hobbit” trilogy and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, bringing his vision of Middle-earth to life on the big screen.
Yes, you can enjoy “The Hobbit” movies as standalone films. While they serve as prequels to “The Lord of the Rings,” they can be appreciated on their own merits. However, watching “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy first enhances the overall experience and provides additional context and references.