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Obscure Lord of the Rings films are finally streaming for the first time ever

Posted on by Taylor Reeves
Obscure Lord of the Rings films are finally streaming for the first time ever

Ethan Dean

Two of the lesser-known Lord of the Rings films will soon be available on a streaming service for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings is a film that has managed to remain relatively silent in the age of expansive cinematic universes and oversaturation of popular intellectual property. Yes, we have the arrival of Amazon’s Rings of Power and the upcoming War of the Rohirrim, giving the anime touch to the franchise.

Nevertheless, compared to other big players in the industry such as the MCU, DCEU or Wizarding World, there is comparatively less “Lord of the Rings” to consume. Until recently there were limited ways to immerse yourself in Tolkien’s world, but now it’s getting a little easier.

For the first time ever, HBO Max is bringing two fairly obscure Lord of the Rings films to a streaming platform. The animated adaptations from the 1970s, which before this move were only available physically or digitally.

Never streamed before

Die-hard fans of Tolkien’s outstanding fantasy works are probably familiar with The Hobbit (1977) and The Lord of the Rings (1978). However, for the uninitiated, this could be your first opportunity to watch these classic cartoons.

Long before Peter Jackson’s popular film adaptation of The 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 brings its story to a close.

The two works certainly show their age, but they are interesting pieces of history and serve as a fantastic study in the popular dark fantasy aesthetic that has recently taken over TikTok. If you want to catch a glimpse of Boromir in a Viking helmet or a grumpy Gandalf who likes to scare hobbits for no reason, HBO Max offers the opportunity to do so for free.

Both films are now streaming on HBO Max after Warner Bros. managed to reacquire the rights to the two films. It’s unclear how long they will remain available on the service. So if you want to take a look at the pre-Peter Jackson universe, now is the time.

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