‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King’ Returns To Theaters To Celebrate 20th Anniversary

John F. Trent |

Apr 13, 2023

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition (2003), Warner Bros. Pictures

The Peter Jackson directed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King returns to theaters to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the film’s release.

However, this isn’t the original theatrical version that is returning to theaters. It’s Jackson’s Extended Edition that returns to theaters beginning today, April 13th.

The film will be in select theaters from April 13th to April 20th courtesy of Fathom Events.

Not only will moviegoers be treated to the 4 hour and 20 minute long Extended Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, but they will also receive a special introduction to the film from Elijah Wood.

Fathom Events revealed, “Prior to the film, audiences will be treated to an introduction from Elijah Wood (Frodo) discussing the impact of the LOTR trilogy and why fans return again and again to immerse themselves in this storyworld.”

“With recent footage captured at LA Comic Con of the World Premiere of the brand new LOTR Roleplaying tabletop game, Elijah takes audiences through this limited fan event with a celebrity cast to raise support for Extra Life for Kids, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” they add.

The official description for the film states, “In the conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, as armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world–and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome–one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men.”

“Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied only by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power,” it concludes.