The three original Lord of the Rings films have current cumulative worldwide theatrical grosses ranging from about $902 million to $1.126 billion. The Return of the King leads the trilogy. These are ticket-sales grosses, not studio profits.
Worldwide box-office totals for the three films
The following figures are the totals currently displayed by The Numbers, accessed in 2026. The worldwide gross combines the domestic and international amounts shown for each film.
![Lord of the Rings: Animated [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61nBZtFKVpL._SL160_.jpg)
| Film | Release year | Worldwide gross | Domestic gross | International gross | Reported production budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 | $901,990,952 | $325,680,679 | $576,310,273 | $93,000,000 |
| The Two Towers | 2002 | $926,797,210 | $349,701,429 | $577,095,781 | $94,000,000 |
| The Return of the King | 2003 | $1,126,146,639 | $383,381,648 | $742,764,991 | $94,000,000 |
Sources: The Numbers’ franchise table and the individual pages for Fellowship, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
Which Lord of the Rings movie made the most?
The Return of the King has the highest currently displayed worldwide gross, at $1,126,146,639. The Two Towers follows at $926,797,210, and The Fellowship of the Ring at $901,990,952. The reported totals rise with each film.
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Box-office gross is the amount reported from theatrical ticket sales; it is not the amount a studio keeps as profit. The Numbers lists production budgets separately, but those figures alone do not establish profitability: the cited pages do not provide a complete accounting of all-in costs, distributor terms, or theaters’ shares.
The totals are the database’s current cumulative figures, not original-release-only grosses. The individual pages also record later theatrical engagements, and the franchise table lists a separate trilogy re-release entry. The figures should therefore be read as the current reported totals rather than a measure limited to the films’ initial runs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the trilogy figure differs from the wider Middle-earth franchise
Warner Bros. Pictures has said the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies collectively earned nearly $6 billion globally. That rounded studio figure covers both film series; it is not the gross for the three Lord of the Rings films alone. Warner Bros. Pictures pressroom.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Lord Of The Rings
- The Motion Picture Trilogy
Rank #3
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