Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has created new introductions for each film. These introductions offer reflections and anecdotes from the filming process.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Entertainment recently announced these new segments, which serve as an added bonus for fans attending the upcoming theatrical re-release of the films.
Entertainment Weekly provided a preview, describing the introductions as both “lengthy” and “welcome.” An online excerpt reveals Jackson discussing the trilogy’s production as one continuous project, with scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring filmed concurrently with those for The Return of the King. The director also recounts an instance where he had to adjust the memorable cave troll fight in Moria after Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, arrived with a significant black eye.
This particular anecdote, previously shared by Jackson, details how Mortensen sustained the injury while “out with the Hobbits,” reportedly during a surfing incident where his board struck him in the face. Viewers watching the cave troll fight might observe that Mortensen is primarily filmed from one side, concealing the black eye.
The Extended Editions of all three films will be shown this weekend, with one movie presented each day from January 16-18. The shorter, standard theatrical editions will then be shown next weekend, from January 13-25.
Merchandise is also available to accompany this re-release. AMC theaters will offer a popcorn bucket featuring a Middle-earth map, while Regal will provide a popcorn bucket with a One Ring design, as reported by Variety.
The Lord of the Rings Movies in (Chronological) Order
During promotions for the trilogy’s re-release, Jackson stated that an “extended-extended” cut of the films would not be released, despite additional footage being shot. He remarked, “Are there great scenes that we never used? The answer is no. There are bits and pieces, I guess. But if you did an extended-extended cut, or whatever it will get called, it would be disappointing.” Given that The Return of the King’s Extended Edition already exceeds four hours, the current versions are likely considered sufficient.
Following this month’s trilogy re-launch, audiences can anticipate further Middle-earth content with the upcoming prequel, The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for release on December 17, 2027. Elijah Wood, who portrayed Frodo and is expected to return for the project, previously commended the film for bringing together Jackson with his Middle-earth scriptwriting collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, alongside Andy Serkis, who will both star as Gollum and direct the movie.
