The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an Academy Award-winning 2001 fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson. It is the opening installment of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, based on the similarly titled first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic literary fantasy, The Lord of the Rings. Jackson began the project in 1995 as a two-part adaptation of Tolkien’s work. Over the next six years, it expanded to three films shot across a 15-month period in New Zealand. Amongst fans, the title is often abbreviated as “FotR”.

The Dark Lord Sauron is seeking the One Ring, which he can use to conquer Middle-earth. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who must destroy it in order to defeat Sauron and his forces. The fate of Middle-Earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions form the Fellowship of the Ring. So begins a journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor; this is the only place the Ring can be destroyed.

Released on December 19, 2001, the film was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike, especially as many of the latter judged it to be sufficiently faithful to the original story. It was a box office success, earning over $870 million worldwide, and a close second for the highest grossing film of 2001 in the U.S. and worldwide (right behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone). It is the 11th highest grossing worldwide film of all time. The Special Extended DVD Edition was released on November 12, 2002.