Fantasy is one of the most popular genres. This applies to books, audiobooks, TV series, and movies alike. Among the latter, one film managed to outshine all other fantasy movies and has remained unrivaled ever since.
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) catalogs a vast number of films and series across many years and genres. These movies are not just listed but also rated by movie lovers from all over the world. Based on this data, we can determine the most popular films of all time according to movie-goers and critics alike. As such, if you’ve ever asked yourself which fantasy movie is the best of all time, we now have an answer.
This Fantasy Movie Exceeded All Expectations
When the fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King hit theaters in 2003, fan expectations were sky-high. And for good reason. Not only was the film based on the world-famous novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, but the two movies preceding it had already managed to win over audiences.
As the third and final part of the trilogy, The Return of the King simply had to deliver. And so it did. It not only maintained the high standard set by its predecessors but managed to raise the bar even further. What must have been a Herculean task paid off, resulting in the movie being awarded eleven Academy Awards–including the Oscar for Best Picture.
On IMDb’s list of top 250 movies, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ranks 7th, boasting a score of 9.0 out of 10 stars. This rating is the result of around 1.9 million votes. Additionally, the two previous films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers secured the 9th and 13th spots, respectively, making them the second and third-best fantasy films of all time.
Currently, the entire The Lord of the Rings trilogy can be streamed on Max in the US. Alternatively, you can buy or rent the movie on Prime Video and YouTube.
Other Works in the Lord of the Rings-Universe
Interestingly, the Hobbit trilogy is nowhere to be found on IMDb’s Top 250 list. This is likely due to the storyline of the original book being stretched and altered for the films. Similarly, Amazon’s series, which was freely invented by screenwriters, also failed to win over fans.
Next in line is the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, a prequel to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. However, its events take place a staggering 183 years before those depicted in Peter Jackson’s film. Scottish actor Brian Cox will take on the lead role as Helm Hammerhand, while Miranda Otto–known to middle-earth fans as Éowyn–will serve as the narrator.
Did you watch The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King when it first hit theaters? Please let us know in the comments!
