On Wednesday, Frodo’s epic journey comes to an end, along with that of countless fans.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” the third and final chapter in director Peter Jackson’s acclaimed film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy, opens almost two years to the day since audiences first embarked on the fantasy adventure.
Prior to the release of the first film, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” New Line’s $300 million investment in the franchise was considered a huge gamble.
Thus far, it’s paid off handsomely. The first two installments combined have made more than $650 million domestically and earned 19 Oscar nominations.
“Unlike most trilogies, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ series should end up seeing its biggest gross come from the last installment,” said Gitesh Pandya, editor of Box
OfficeGuru.com. “Interest in the franchise has grown steadily from the first one and new fans have come on board, making ‘King’ the most anticipated movie of the year.”
Advance ticket sales have been red hot, and a five-day opening weekend take of $70 million or more is likely, Pandya said.
“A domestic gross north of $350 million could be possible.”
“The Return of the King” finds Frodo nearing the end of his tortuous trek to Mordor to destroy the evil ring, while Aragorn must face his destiny as heir to the Kingdom of Gondor and wage war against the Dark Lord’s forces.
Jackson filmed all three “Lord of the Rings” movies concurrently in his native New Zealand. His adaptation required two years of pre-production, 274 days of principal photography and three years of post-production work.
In a note to the media, Jackson credited his talented cast and crew, and their “great and enduring love of the books, which in turn resulted in an unfailing commitment to do our best work on these films.”
First published in 1954, Tolkien’s trilogy has sold more than 50 million copies in 35 languages worldwide. However, the films’ audience extends well beyond fans of the books.
“I actually got dragged to the first one and loved it, and I got addicted,” said Natasha Schaupp, 29, of Batavia, Ohio. She planned to see all three films before reading Tolkien’s trilogy.
Tolkien fan Aaron Stephens, 24, of Columbus, Ohio, has enjoyed the film adaptations, despite their variances from the original story.
“They’re not as good as the books, of course,” he said.
Jackson’s final “Rings” film has a strong chance in both the Academy Awards and Golden Globes races, “as members may end up voting for not just ‘King,’ but for the trilogy as a whole epic piece of filmmaking,” Pandya said. “‘The Return of the King’ stands as the film to beat right now in the race for the Oscar for Best Picture.”
And how did the film play at the promotional screening? Bruno Tegano, 37, of Cincinnati said that of the hundreds of movies he’s viewed, he’s never been on a more intense emotional roller coaster than “The Return of the King.”
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Tegano said.
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