The final film in Peter Jackson’s iconic The Lord of the Rings trilogy is headed back to theaters, with Fathom Events and Warner Bros. announcing that The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will have special screenings next month.
The film will have special screenings of its extended edition — which clocks in at nearly four hours — on three separate days, with showings taking place on April 13, April 19, and April 20. Tickets for the 20th-anniversary celebration of the film are now available at Fathom Events’ website or at local box offices, and each screening of the film is set to feature an exclusive introduction by star Elijah Wood, discussing the lasting legacy of the trilogy as well as J.R.R. Tolkien’s world.
Originally released in 2003, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the finale of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Upon its release, the film was a critical and box office smash, earning more than $1 billion at the box office and being highly regarded as one of the best films ever made. At the 76th Academy Awards, The Return of the King won all 11 awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, tying it with Ben-Hur and Titanic for the movie with the most Academy Award wins ever.
“In the conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, as armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world–and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome–one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men,” reads the official synopsis of the film. “Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied only by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.”