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Action adventure film

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003): Cast & Ratings

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) movie poster

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 action adventure film directed by Peter Jackson, starring Andy Serkis and Orlando Bloom. It is partly based on The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien. It runs 3 hours 21 minutes and earned $1.14 billion worldwide on a $94 million budget. It won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Art Direction, and 28 awards in all. Critics gave it 94 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.3/10.

IMDb rating
8.3/10
worldwide gross
$1.1B
Oscars won
11
Metascore
94
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) movie poster
Released
Runtime
3h 21m (201 min)
Director
Peter Jackson
Genres
Action , Adventure , Fantasy
Original language
English
Budget
$94M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King About?

The premise of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King without spoilers, adapted from The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

As Sauron’s forces close in on Minas Tirith, the final defense of Gondor faces imminent defeat. The kingdom desperately awaits a leader, and all eyes turn to Aragorn, the rightful heir. He must embrace his destiny and rally the forces of good to confront the encroaching shadow threatening Middle-earth. The fate of the realm hangs in the balance as a desperate battle for survival begins.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • middle earth
  • single player
  • playstation 2
  • multiplayer
  • nintendo gamecube
  • microsoft windows
  • based on film
  • cult video game
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  • dragon
  • invasion
  • breach
+38 more
  • trial and error gameplay
  • live action and animation
  • psychotronic video game
  • battle
  • hand to hand combat
  • axe fight
  • dual wield
  • final battle
  • cult classic
  • spiderweb
  • multiplatform
  • dwarf the creature
  • ring
  • forest
  • lord of the rings
  • hack and slash
  • xbox
  • magical sword
  • epic battle
  • sword and sorcery
  • fighting game
  • spear throwing
  • shot with a bow and arrow
  • bow and arrow
  • sword fight
  • sword and sandal
  • showdown
  • crossbow
  • battlefield
  • combat
  • troll
  • torch
  • statue
  • staff
  • stabbed in the eye
  • stabbed in the back
  • spider
  • spear
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Cast & crew

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Cast

Andy Serkis leads the cast, with Orlando Bloom. Directed by Peter Jackson.

From the director

More from Peter Jackson

More films directed by Peter Jackson, best-rated first: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, They Shall Not Grow Old, Heavenly Creatures and King Kong.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 94 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.3/10.

Plot

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Plot Summary

What happens in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Déagol stumbles upon the One Ring while fishing in a river with his cousin, Sméagol. Enchanted by its power, Sméagol’s desire leads him to commit a horrifying act, murdering Déagol and ultimately transforming into the creature known as Gollum. This act marks the beginning of a tragic descent into madness and physical corruption, forcing Gollum to seek refuge in the shadowy depths of the Misty Mountains.

Full summary

The whole story of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Box Office & Budget

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King grossed $1.14 billion worldwide on a $94 million budget, 12 times what it cost. $381.9 million came from the US and Canada and $756.3 million (66%) from the rest of the world.

2003 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.1B

12× its budget

US & Canada
$381.9M
International
$756.3M
Budget
$94M
US & Canada 34% Rest of the world 66%
Awards

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Awards & Nominations

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Art Direction, and 28 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 2004, with 11 wins from 11 nominations.

28 wins39 nominations7 ceremonies

Show all 7 ceremonies
Videos

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Trailers & Videos

8 videos: 1 trailer, 2 teasers, 3 clips and 2 behind-the-scenes videos.

All 8 videos
4K Trailer
  • Teaser The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Trailer 2
  • Teaser 20th Anniversary Spot
  • Clip 10 Minute Preview
  • Clip You Bow to No One
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What artifact did Sméagol and Déagol discover while fishing?

Details

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Also Known As

59 alternative titles, including “Sagan om konungens återkomst” and “Le Seigneur des Anneaux: Le Retour du Roi”.

Also known as
  • Sagan om konungens återkomst
  • Le Seigneur des Anneaux: Le Retour du Roi
  • Le Retour du Roi
  • The Lord of the Rings 3: The Return of the King
  • 魔戒三部曲:王者再臨
  • Gredzenu pavēlnieks: Karaļa atgriešanās
  • 魔戒3:王者归来
  • Господар на прстените: Враќањето на кралот
  • The Lord of the Rings III: The Return of the King
  • ESDLA
  • El señor de los anillos: El retorno del rey
  • LOTR: The Return Of The King
+47 more
  • Chúa Tể Của Những Chiếc Nhẫn 3: Hai Tòa Tháp
  • ロード・オブ・ザ・リング/王の帰還:2003
  • The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King
  • Üzüklərin Hökmdarı:Kralın Qayıdışı
  • 指环王3:王者无敌
  • LOTR3 - The Return of the King
  • ロード・オブ・ザ・リング/王の帰還
  • 指环王3:王者归来
  • Le Seigneur des anneaux : Le Retour du roi - version longue
  • Der Herr der Ringe - Die Rueckkehr des Koenigs
  • Մատանիների Տիրակալը 3
  • Der Herr der Ringe - Die Rückkehr des Königs
  • Pán prstenů: Návrat krále
  • Il Signore degli Anelli - Il ritorno del re
  • Le Seigneur des anneaux : Le Retour du roi
  • Властелин колец: Возвращение короля
  • Yüzüklerin Efendisi: Kralın Dönüşü
  • Ringenes herre - Atter en konge
  • A Gyűrűk Ura: A Király visszatér
  • Taru sormusten herrasta: Kuninkaan paluu
  • O Senhor dos Anéis: O Regresso do Rei
  • Ringenes herre - Kongen vender tilbage
  • Sagan om konungens återkomst - härskarringen
  • Władca Pierścieni: Powrót króla
  • שר הטבעות: שיבת המלך
  • เดอะ ลอร์ด ออฟ เดอะ ริงส์: มหาสงครามชิงพิภพ
  • Господар прстенова: Повратак краља
  • Pán prsteňov: Návrat kráľa
  • Ο Άρχοντας των Δαχτυλιδιών: Η Επιστροφή του Βασιλιά
  • Gospodar prstenova: Povratak kralja
  • Властелинът на пръстените: Завръщането на краля
  • 반지의 제왕: 왕의 귀환
  • Володар перснів: Повернення короля
  • Stăpânul inelelor: Întoarcerea regelui
  • ارباب حلقه ها : بازگشت پادشاه
  • O Senhor dos Anéis: O Retorno do Rei
  • El Senyor dels Anells: El retorn del rei
  • Žiedų valdovas. Karaliaus sugrįžimas
  • Hringadróttinssaga: Hilmir snýr heim
  • Gospodar prstanov: Kraljeva vrnitev
  • Uzuklar hukmdori: Qirolning qaytishi
  • Chúa Tể Của Những Chiếc Nhẫn: Sự Trở Lại Của Nhà Vua, ბეჭდების მბრძანებელი: მეფის დაბრუნება
  • سيد الخواتم 3 عودة الملك
  • Sõrmuste isand: Kuninga tagasitulek
  • Господарот на прстените: Враќањето на кралот
  • Уладар пярсцёнкаў: Вяртанне караля
  • दी लार्ड ऑफ दी रिंग्स: रिटर्न ऑफ दी किंग

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FAQ

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King runs 3 hours 21 minutes (201 minutes).

When was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King released?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was released on December 17, 2003.

Who directed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was directed by Peter Jackson.

More films by Peter Jackson

Who is in the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King stars Andy Serkis and Orlando Bloom.

How much did The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King make at the box office?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King grossed $1.14 billion worldwide ($381.9 million domestic, $756.3 million international) on a budget of $94 million.

How is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King rated?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has 8.3/10 on IMDb, 94 on Metacritic and 85% on TMDB.

Is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King based on a book?

Yes. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is partly adapted from The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien.

What awards did The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King win?

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 28 awards from 39 nominations, including Art Direction at the Oscars 2004.

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