The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

A closer look at the story

The young hobbit Frodo Baggins learns from the wizard Gandalf that the plain-looking ring left to him by his uncle Bilbo is far more dangerous than it seems. The Dark Lord Sauron is regaining his strength, and if the ring returns to him it could mean the end of Middle-earth. The only way to destroy it is to cast it into the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor. Frodo leaves his home behind, and companions from different peoples band together in a fellowship sworn to protect the ringbearer. Peter Jackson directed this opening film and adapted Tolkien with Walsh and Boyens; the 179-minute 2001 production features Elijah Wood as Frodo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Ian Holm as Bilbo in the first chapter of an epic fantasy journey.