The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

A closer look at the story

As the forces of darkness gather for the great battle on which the future of their world hangs, Gandalf works to ready weary, wounded Gondor for its defence, and Théoden calls every rider he has to arms. Far from the battlefield, the young hobbit Frodo, on whom all hope now rests, presses deeper into Mordor with Sam, his steadfast companion, and the untrustworthy Gollum as his guide, seeking the one place where the Ring of Power can be destroyed. Fought on two fronts, the struggle becomes the hardest test of courage and friendship. Adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's work by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and directed by Jackson, the 201-minute 2003 film stars Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen and Sean Astin in an epic fantasy told on two fronts.