The Lord of the Rings franchise is preparing for a significant resurgence across multiple platforms, with Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey leading the charge. According to data from FlixPatrol, the film has secured the number five position on Netflix's worldwide top 10 movie chart. While the other two entries in The Hobbit trilogy are not currently charting, industry observers suggest their performance may shift in the coming days as anticipation builds for upcoming releases.
This streaming success arrives just ahead of major new entries into Middle-earth. The third season of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is scheduled to debut on November 11. Additionally, Warner Bros. Pictures is set to release The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in theaters next year. The current popularity of An Unexpected Journey serves as a precursor to these events, reintroducing audiences to the world before the new content arrives.
The film, which premiered on December 14, 2012, marks Warner Bros.' first return to Middle-earth following the conclusion of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy in 2003. Originally attached to director Guillermo del Toro, the project eventually saw Peter Jackson return to helm what was initially planned as a duology but expanded into a trilogy. The narrative follows Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, as he is drawn from his simple life in the Shire by wizard Gandalf, portrayed by Ian McKellen, to join a company of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor.
Critically, the film received a mixed reception compared to its predecessors. It holds a 64% score on Rotten Tomatoes, described as fresh but not "Certified Fresh," with critics noting that while visually resplendent, the deliberate pace occasionally diminished the material's majesty. However, audiences were more forgiving, awarding the film an 83% rating from users. Financially, the movie was a major success, earning over $1 billion globally against a production budget of $315 million.
The ensemble cast features a blend of returning stars and new faces, including Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Christopher Lee as Saruman, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, and Andy Serkis reprising his role as Gollum. Ian Holm also appears as an older Bilbo in the trilogy's frame story. Following the mixed reception of The Hobbit trilogy, Warner Bros. explored other avenues for the franchise, including the 2024 animated prequel The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. While that film received mixed reviews, it paved the way for the current live-action developments.
The future of the franchise includes several projects in various stages of development. Alongside The Hunt for Gollum, a second live-action film titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past was written by Stephen Colbert. However, the merger between Skydance Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery has left the status of that project uncertain. Meanwhile, An Unexpected Journey remains available for streaming on Netflix internationally and on HBO Max in the United States.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.