New Line CinemaTwo Lord of the Rings movies are now streaming on Netflix, making a movie marathon the perfect way to spend the first weekend of the new year.
After days and days of eating, drinking, socialising and spending money, I think everyone’s in need of a calm, quiet couple of days, especially if you’ve already been thrown back into the harsh world of work.
Admittedly, the events of The Lord of the Rings aren’t necessarily relaxing, and the films don’t exactly make for a quick watch, but settling back on the sofa and watching Frodo on his quest never fails to be enjoyable – and now you can do so on Netflix.
New Line CinemaUnfortunately, fans won’t be able to watch the entire trilogy in one go, as only The Two Towers and The Return of the King, the final two films of the original trilogy, are available on Netflix US. Sadly, no Fellowship of the Ring. Still, two is better than none!
The films have had a spotty history with Netflix, as I’m sure fans of the franchise have realised when trying to stream them all back-to-back. The first movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, appeared on the streaming service twice in 2019, only to be removed within weeks each time.
The two sequels have also made a past appearance, arriving in September 2019. However, fans soon had the rug pulled out from under them, and in November 2019 they disappeared again.
New Line CinemaThankfully, Netflix kicked off the new decade by bringing back the sequels, though history should teach fans to be quick when it comes to watching them. They might not be around for long, and you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!
While the inconsistent availability is frustrating, there is likely good reason for the trilogy’s frequent reappearances. ScreenRant reports that, in order for the streaming platform to be able to add titles to its lists, it has to pay the studio holders to get the rights.
Of course, there’s a bigger price tag attached to more popular films, and as J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories make up one of the most popular franchises out there, it’s safe to assume Netflix has to fork out a lot for the privilege of offering them. As a result, big films usually don’t last long, or come and go from the streaming service.
New Line CinemaI’m sure true Lord of the Rings fans will be happy to turn on Netflix and pick up the story from The Two Towers, though now probably isn’t the best time for newbies to get involved.
Hopefully the first film will make a comeback at some point, but until then, enjoy the sequels while you can!
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.