Middle-Earth On Film: A Visual History

So many movies are dubbed "the new Star Wars". Just a few months ago everyone was quick to highlight Guardians Of The Galaxy as a defining cinematic moment. But while Marvel's space fantasy certainly has some objective similarities with George Lucas' saga, in terms of cultural impact and ability to bring a whole generation together, you can't beat The Lord Of The Rings. They may not be sci-fi, but in terms of technological advancement and uncompromised world-building Peter Jackson's three-movie epic is the real inheritor of Luke Skywalker's crown. They even have prequels that are widely regarded as a weaker exercise. The phrase "modern classic" is thrown around a lot, but in this case it's more than fitting. Of course, Jackson's Middle-Earth movies were far from the first attempts at bringing the works of Tolkien to the screen. Since he first published his seminal novels there's been many attempts to bring the adventures of the Baggins' to life, with only a handful coming to fruition. Come and a take a look back over the making of cinema history - how did The Lord Of The Rings almost end up differently, and which different versions actually exist? It's all here in this gallery.

Just like The Lord Of The Rings, The Hobbit has its own Extended Editions that expand upon the original releases. Unlike the earlier movies, however, there are fewer additions and, more importantly, the films were made with this later edit in mind.

The Extended Editions are more fitting of Peter Jackson's idea for a whole trilogy based on The Hobbit - the dwarves get more development and the mythology is deepened, leading to an overall better experience. How the whole thing works together will have to wait until The Battle Of The Five Armies gets the treatment later in 2015.