# The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king-2003/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 90% |
| Critic Score | 92% |
| Audience Score | 94% |
| Metascore | 86/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4.3/5 |
| IMDb | 9/10 |
| Director | Peter Jackson |
| Genres | Adventure, Fantasy, Action |
| Runtime | 201 min |

## Quick answer

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) earns a 90% Celluloid Score — Celluloid Pick. IMDb Top 250 #6 (9/10) — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King remains one of the most highly rated films of all Metascore 86/100. Directed by Peter Jackson.

## Critics consensus

IMDb Top 250 #6 (9/10) — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

## Synopsis

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 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.​

## Cast

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, John Noble, David Wenham, Miranda Otto

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King worth watching?**
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King holds a 90% Celluloid Score. IMDb Top 250 #6 (9/10) — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

**What is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King about?**
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 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.​

**Who directed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?**
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) was directed by Peter Jackson.

**What is the Celluloid Score of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?**
90% — the average of five public sources: critics 92%, audience 94%, Metascore 86/100, Letterboxd 4.3/5, and IMDb 9/10.

**Where can I watch The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?**
Streaming availability varies by region — see the The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King page for current options.

---
Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king-2003.md