by Two of the lesser-known Lord of the Rings films are about to be available on a streaming service for the first time.
The Lord of the Rings is a property that has managed to remain relatively quiet in the age of expansive cinematic universes and the oversaturation of popular IP. Yes, we have the arrival of Amazon’s Rings of Power and the upcoming War of the Rohirrim, which gives the franchise the anime treatment.
Still, when you’re up against other major players in the space, like the MCU, DCEU, or Wizarding World, there’s relatively less Lord of the Rings to consume. Until recently, there were limited ways to immerse yourself in Tolkien’s world, but it’s about to get a little easier.
HBO Max brings two rather obscure Lord of the Rings films to a streaming platform for the first time. The animated adaptations from the 1970s, which before this move, could only be purchased physically or digitally.
Never streamed before
Die-hard fans of Tolkien’s seminal fantasy works are probably familiar with The Hobbit (1977) and The Lord of the Rings (1978). For the uninitiated, however, this may be the first opportunity to view these classic works of animation.
Long before Peter Jackson’s beloved cinematic adaptation of Lord of the Rings and whatever The Hobbit trilogy was, these two films were the only way to experience Tolkien’s works without picking up a book. The 1978 animated version of The Lord of the Rings covers the first two books of the trilogy, while the 1977 version of The Hobbit manages to complete its story.
The two works are certainly showing their age, but they are interesting pieces of history and serve as a fantastic study of the popular Dark Fantasy aesthetic that has recently taken over TikTok. If you want to see Boromir in a Viking helmet or a grumpy Gandalf who likes to scare Hobbits for no reason, HBO Max is offering the chance to do so for free.
Both films are now streaming on HBO Max after Warner Bros. managed to regain the rights to the two films. It’s unclear how long they’ll be available on the service, so if you want to check out a pre-Peter Jackson version of the universe, now is the time to do so.
