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Here’s how to catch up on all 'The Lord of the Rings' movies before Amazon’s new series, 'The Rings of Power'
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It’s time to revisit Middle-earth.
During this year’s Super Bowl, Amazon debuted the first teaser trailer for The Rings of Power, an upcoming Lord of the Rings TV series. The teaser racked up a reported 257 million views in 24 hours, making it the most-watched trailer to ever debut during the Super Bowl.
Premiering on Prime Video Sept. 2, 2022,The Rings of Power will take place thousands of years before the Lord of the Rings movies, or, in proper lore terms, during the Second Age of Middle-earth. “The Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkein gave the timeline of this era in appendices to the original books, so fans are excited to see more of Tolkein’s world come to life, and to get backstories on familiar characters such as Sauron, Galadriel, and Elrond.
Whether you’re new to The Lord of the Rings, or you’re looking to re-watch the movies before The Rings of Power comes out, read on. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Lord of the Rings online.
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How to Watch Every Lord of the Rings Movie Online
The best way to watch Lord of the Rings online is on HBO Max. The streaming service has all three movies from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
You can also watch The Lord of the Rings Extended Editions on HBO Max, which adds over two hours of extra content to the theatrical version. HBO Max also has all three of The Hobbit movies, which is a prequel trilogy to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
HBO Max offers two subscription tiers: the cheaper option is ad-supported and costs $9.99 per month, while the ad-free HBO Max subscription costs $14.99 per month.
Buy HBO Max Subscription $9.99+
How to Watch The Lord of the Rings Free Online
Looking to watch The Lord of the Rings for free online? There is a way. Although HBO Max doesn’t offer a free trial, Hulu offers a seven-day free trial of HBO Max with this bundle promotion. This will let you watch The Lord of the Rings for free, before the seven-day free trial expires.
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Hulu with HBO Max, for the unfamiliar, is a Hulu and HBO Max subscription in one account. So, with the free trial, you’re getting both services for free for seven days.
If you already have Hulu, sign up for an HBO Max free trial here. If you don’t have Hulu, you can still get a seven-day free trial for the whole package by signing up for Hulu with HBO Max at the same time. After the seven days are up, you’ll be charged $14.99 a month for the HBO Max add-on, plus the cost of your Hulu subscription (the cheapest Hulu subscription is $6.99 per month).
Buy Hulu with HBO Max Subscription $21.98+
How to Watch The Lord of the Rings Without HBO
If you don’t want to sign up for HBO Max, you can still watch The Lord of the Rings online by renting each movie through Prime Video or Vudu. This option will cost $3.99 per movie. You can also buy the movies through Prime Video or Vudu, allowing you to watch The Lord of the Rings online at any time.
Buy Lord of the Rings Rental $15.79
Another way to watch Lord of the Rings without an HBO Max subscription is to go old school: You can buy this Lord of the Rings Blu-Ray box set, which lets you watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy in 4K UHD.
Buy Lord of the Rings Blu-Ray $72.99
How to Watch Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in Order
For longtime fans and newcomers alike, it can be challenging to decide how to watch The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in order. Some say the best way is to watch in chronological order, while others say to watch the two trilogies in order of release.
If you’re new to the world of Middle-earth, we recommend watching the two trilogies in order of release, starting with The Lord of the Rings movies and ending with The Hobbit trilogy. If you’re revisiting the Lord of the Rings franchise, we think it makes sense to watch The Lord of the Rings online in chronological order, going from The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Are the Lord of the Rings Books Available Online?
Want to see where it all started? Try reading the “Lord of the Rings” books by J.R.R. Tolkein. Amazon has this “Lord of the Rings” box set, which includes “The Hobbit” book and the three “Lord of the Rings” books in paperback.
Buy Lord of the Rings Box Set $20.77
Alternatively, you can listen to “The Lord of the Rings” audiobooks by signing up for a free trial to Audible. A 30-day free trial to Audible Premium Plus gets you one book to download for free (you can keep it after your free trial is over), as well as a selection of free content to stream during your trial. After 30 days, Audible Premium Plus costs $14.95 per month.
