The Lord of the Rings: Books vs. Movies
The three Lord of the Rings movies, released between 2001 and 2003, are adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's three books, published between 1954 and 1955. Each book has its own page here; this one is the series as a whole.
From Books Adapted
How much of the book it covers
The movies move events across the book divisions
Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings as one continuous story, published in three volumes. Peter Jackson's movies keep those volumes' titles but change where some events fall.
| Movie | Books and coverage |
|---|---|
| The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) | Mainly The Fellowship of the Ring, with events from the opening of The Two Towers moved into its climax. |
| The Two Towers (2002) | Mainly The Two Towers, holding back some of its later events for the third movie. |
| The Return of the King (2003) | The Return of the King, plus material left over from The Two Towers, including Shelob. |
The three movies reach the end of the main story. They leave out some chapters, including the Scouring of the Shire.
What changed from the book
Lurtz was created for the first movie
The Uruk-hai leader Lurtz has no counterpart in Tolkien's book. Jackson and the other writers created him to give the force pursuing the Fellowship an identifiable leader. Saruman directs the pursuit from Isengard; Lurtz makes that threat a character the Fellowship can face directly.
Jackson described this as part of building the first movie's climax around both the pursuit and the Ring's influence on the group.
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The book has another struggle after the Ring is destroyed
The Return of the King continues through the Scouring of the Shire, a chapter absent from Jackson's movie. The hobbits' return is not simply a homecoming: they must deal with what has happened to their own country while they were away.
Tolkien explained in a letter that the long aftermath was meant to show the cost of victory and that even a world-changing victory was not final.
Every movie has its own page
Vote on them one at a time: each has its own question, results and comments.
- Book 1
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingMovie, 2001 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 2 hr 58 minFrom The Fellowship of the Ring · 1954 · 492 pagesPeter Jackson’s 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1954 book. Frodo leaves the Shire carrying a ring that could restore Sauron’s power, drawing him into a journey far beyond the home he knows.Which was better? Vote - Book 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersMovie, 2002 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 2 hr 59 minFrom The Two Towers · 1954 · 434 pagesPeter Jackson’s 2002 film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1954 book. With the Fellowship divided, Frodo and Sam seek a way into Mordor while their companions face Saruman’s advancing army.Which was better? Vote - Book 3
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingMovie, 2003 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 3 hr 20 minFrom The Return of the King · 1955 · 495 pagesPeter Jackson’s 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1955 book. As Gondor faces Sauron’s armies, Frodo and Sam struggle through Mordor to reach Mount Doom.Which was better? Vote
The books, in order
Details
- Author
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Year
- 1954
- Pages
- 492
- Audiobook length
- 22 hr 38 min
- Narrator
- Andy Serkis
- Series
- The Lord of the Rings, book 1
Frodo inherits a ring that makes his quiet life in the Shire impossible to keep. Pursued by servants of its maker, he travels toward Rivendell, where a fellowship forms to help carry it into Mordor and destroy it.
Details
- Author
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Year
- 1954
- Pages
- 434
- Audiobook length
- 16 hr 40 min
- Narrator
- Rob Inglis
- Series
- The Lord of the Rings, book 2
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the captors of Merry and Pippin into Rohan, where Saruman is preparing for war. Far from their companions, Frodo and Sam accept Gollum as their guide toward Mordor, unsure how much to trust him.
Details
- Author
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Year
- 1955
- Pages
- 495
- Audiobook length
- 21 hr 52 min
- Narrator
- Andy Serkis
- Series
- The Lord of the Rings, book 3
While Gondor fights to hold back Sauron’s armies, Frodo and Sam cross Mordor with little food or strength left. The fate of the Ring will decide whether their friends survive—and what kind of home awaits them.
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