15 years after the initial Blu-ray release, The Lord of the Rings: Animated is coming back with a fresh reprint known as the Remastered Deluxe Edition. This new version boasts 1080p resolution and includes an interview series with the director discussing the making of the film. You can reserve your copy of The Lord of the Rings: Animated Remastered Deluxe Edition for $22.49 on Amazon before its release on June 24. Previously, the Blu-ray was only affordably obtainable by choosing a region-free imported version. Interestingly, Amazon also offers the movie in DVD format for just $5.
In 1978, the animated version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” hit the big screen. This movie was an enormous financial triumph, raking in over $32 million, which was more than eight times its production budget. However, critical reviews were split, and many devoted fans of the series felt let down since the 133-minute film only encompassed parts of “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Two Towers”.
Over time, this film has accumulated a devoted following and is often considered a timeless cult favorite. It boasts some astonishing scenes and a few peculiar instances, giving it a vibe similar to the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. Both films showcase bold risks that make their ambition admirable, but Lord of the Rings remains truer to its source material and offers superior writing. The original drafts were initially penned by Chris Conkling, later revisions were crafted by Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn, and polished by director Ralph Bakshi.
In his creative approach to animation, Bakshi blended techniques, combining cel animation and rotoscoping. This unique method involved filming certain scenes live, then tracing them to achieve a realistic motion effect. Given that it was produced in 1978, The Lord of the Rings animated film holds up impressively well.
Peter Jackson shared that an animated portrayal significantly influenced his conceptualization of the live-action version of The Lord of the Rings.
As a gamer, I was really looking forward to another animated adventure in Middle Earth, following The Hobbit and The Return of the King. However, much to my disappointment, no sequel was ever produced. Instead, what we got were musical adaptations of these stories, which, surprisingly, weren’t half bad – especially considering they were made for television.
Now, it’s important to note that these musicals weren’t created by the original team, so the animation style is quite distinct and doesn’t carry the same level of effectiveness. Still, they are suitable for younger audiences and are better than one might expect.
If you’re interested, you can find the Remastered Deluxe Editions of both stories on DVD. Last year saw the release of the latest printing of The Hobbit Remastered Deluxe Edition, which retails for $22.49. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in The Return of the King, you can grab its Remastered Deluxe Edition at a discounted price of $12.40 on Amazon.
Approximately 4 decades elapsed before the franchise made a comeback to animation, with the release of “The War of the Rohirrim” in theaters last December. This animated adaptation, set centuries prior to Peter Jackson’s films and derived from a section in The Lord of the Rings appendices, received mixed reviews and was commercially unsuccessful. Despite its forgettable narrative and characters, it is still recommended for its visually stunning and frequently breathtaking animation sequences. “The War of the Rohirrim” can be purchased on Blu-ray for $13 and 4K Blu-ray for $20.
Check out all of the animated movies set in Middle-earth below.
The Lord of the Rings Animated Movies
- The Lord of the Rings – Remastered Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray) — $22.49 | Releases June 24
- The Lord of the Rings – Remastered Deluxe Edition (DVD) — $5 (
$15) - The Return of the King – Remastered Deluxe Edition (DVD) — $12.40 (
$20) - The Hobbit – Remastered Deluxe Edition (DVD) — $22.49
- The War of the Rohirrim (4K, Digital) — $20 (
$28)- $28 at Walmart
- The War of the Rohirrim Steelbook (4K, 1080p, Digital) — $38 | Sold out
- Sold out at Walmart
- The War of the Rohirrim (Blu-ray, Digital) — $13 (
$23)- Also at Walmart
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2025-06-21 06:39