Summary
The Lord of the Ringsfans have lots to expect from the franchise if they want more. The producer even teased that they could deliver another epic fantasy trilogy if fans want it.
The Lord of the Ringsis an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel exploring the world of Middle-earth. It sparked three movies directed by Peter Jackson –The Fellowship of the Ring(2001),The Two Towers(2002) andThe Return of the King(2003). Jackson’s work was a faithful adaptation of Tolkien’s work, and he successfully combined it with the necessities of cinema, delivering an impressive work of art. The trilogy was a massive success, with 17 Academy Awards collectively. It also grossed $3 billion at the box office. Jackson also made a live-action adaptation of Tolkien’sThe Hobbit, which served as a prequel toThe Lord of the Rings.The Hobbitwas another trilogy –An Unexpected Journey(2012),The Desolation of Smaug(2013) andThe Battle of the Five Armies(201)4.The Hobbitwas as successful asThe Lord of the Rings, and a producer of the franchise teased that they have more to offer if fans have the “appetite” for it.
The Lord of the Ringsproducer, Philippa Boyens, appeared on The Playlist for an interview where she talked about the upcoming projects in the franchise, including the animated movieThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimcoming out later this month andThe Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will be released in 2026. Boyens teased that they have a lot of stories to tell, but whether they develop them depends on the audience’s reception of the upcoming films. “So we’re in the audiences hands,” the producer said. “If there’s an appetite for it, we’ve got more stories. There’s a ton of stories left to be told there and some really, really interesting ones.”
According to Boyens, theWar of the Rohirrimstory made them realize that “stand-alone story works really successfully within the worlds of Middle-earth.” She personally loved to see another anime project after it. However, that also depends on the fans' reception, and she is “really interested” in their reaction. As for the next projects, she prefers to look for “stand-alone stories” afterHunt for Gollum. However, she teased that they could still deliver another massive trilogy likeThe Lord of The RingsorThe Hobbit. “And then if we got really ambitious—there are some epic, particular stories that could translate into that more traditional epic trilogy format that was the originalLord Of The Rings, the war of the rings story,” she shared.
The Lord of the Ringsis a popular franchise that somehow becomes a cult just likeHarry Potter. There are even rumors suggesting thatThe Lord of the Ringswas among J.K.’s inspirations when she penned her books. Fans love its storylines because aside from featuring wizards, witches and magic, it explores friendship, courage, and sacrifice. It depicts the struggle between good and evil, which resonates with everyone. Also, Tolkien’s detailed description of the geography of the Middle-earth and the characters gave the fantasy world a breath of life, which the movies captured successfully in their cinematic shots. Considering the success ofThe Hobbittrilogy and the positive reception of Amazon’sThe Rings of Powerseries, in which the second season just wrapped up in October, it’s likely that the next trilogy fromThe Lord of the Ringswill be as successful because fans have continuously demonstrated enthusiasm about the franchise.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumhits theaters on June 25, 2025.
