A look at the various Lord of the Rings and Hobbit DVD sets currently on store shelves.

LATEST EDITION: The 2021 Remastered 31-disc 4K box set. $250

• 3 Hobbit Theatricals 4K
• 3 Hobbit Extended 4K
• 3 LOTR Theatricals 4K
• 6 LOTR Extended 4K
• 3 Hobbit Theatricals 1080p
• 3 Hobbit Extended 1080p w/ commentary
• 3 LOTR Theatrical 1080p
• 6 LOTR Extended 1080p w/ 4 commentaries
• 1 Bonus Feature (NEW) – 3 cast reunions + Cannes 2001 preview

Head on over to The Digital Bits where they have a long, deep review of this new set worth reading. Remember, the new 4K looks stunning but requires a new 4K disc player + 4K TV.

Can an equivalent set be assembled piece by piece? Let’s shop:

LOTR 4K (2020) $75
Includes Theatrical & Extended in 4K
– 9 Discs

LOTR Extended Edition BluRay 1080p Remastered (2020) $45
Includes Extended in Remastered 1080p
– Commentaries
– Appendices
– Costa Bottes Documentary
– 15 discs

Hobbit 4K (2020) $70
Includes Theatrical & Extended in 4K
– 6 Discs

Hobbit Extended Edition Bluray 3D (2016) $60
Includes Extended Edition in 3D
– Extended in 1080p 2D
– Commentaries
– Appendices
– 15 discs

For $250 you can get the new 31-disc box set with some pretty postcards + Cannes reel + 30 minute reunions…

Or for the same price you can get all 45-discs INCLUDING all the Appendices + Remastered 4K editions + 3D Hobbits!

Is it worth buying a whole new set just for the Cannes footage? Watch our reunion of that momentous occasion as we assemble Producers, Press, and Fan Blogs to remember what Lord of the Rings at Cannes 2001 was like.

For all the completionists out there, fill out your Middle-earth collection with the other versions of Peter Jackson’s movies.

LOTR Theatrical BluRay 1080p Remasters 3-Disc Set (2020) $20

LOTR Bluray + Appendices + Costa Bottes Documentary GREEN TINT edition (2012) $65

6-film Hobbit & LOTR Bluray THEATRICAL Editions (2016) $40

6-film Hobbit & LOTR DVD Theatrical Editions (2016) $20

A final reminder that Peter Jackson has said on occasion that he wants to do a 25th anniversary “Unicorn Edition” with all the extra stuff that we haven’t seen yet – Frodo turning into Gollum, Faramir & Eowyn’s wedding, and a warts-n-all BTS documentary that goes even deeper into the drama of making these films. No announcements have been made that this is even in the works, but PJ is a billionaire now, so anything is possible!

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• Blu-Ray
• DVDs
• New Line Cinema
• The Hobbit
• The Lord of the Rings
• Warner Bros.

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The folks over on The Digital Bits have unearthed a breakdown of Warner Bros. forthcoming “Middle-earth 31-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition”. If you’re a collector, you’ll want to have a read of this before committing your hard-earned.

The Digital Bits says that Warner Bros. are close to an official announcement. They also report the set will include “the Theatrical and Extended versions of all six Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films on both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray (including the remastered Lord of the Rings films on Blu-ray).”

But, here’s the kicker.

They says that the new content is expected to be one Blu-ray bonus disc containing the 26-minute presentation reel shown at Cannes in 2001, and the Alamo Drafthouse cast reunion.

Further, The Appendices will not be included in this new set.

All that will set you back a total of 196 quid. Release is slated for October 26.

Staff reactions to the report are a bit mixed. Personally, I’m much more stoked for the Evangelion box sets that TDB mentions in the same article, while Staffer Earl suggests that:

So after waiting 20 years, the “ultimate” edition ends up having just the Cannes reel and some newly filmed reunion footage hosted by Colbert (hope it’s not some late night show format with his jokes and display of Tolkien knowledge)? 

Uh oh!  I sincerely hope that ain’t all. 

To be honest, I’m inclined to think if this is it, then why bother with the 20th anniversary at all. But maybe this is great for truly hardcore fans who can afford to splurge on yet another version and can’t wait another 5 years.

If you are keen, though, check out the full, detailed breakdown over on The Digital Bits.

Posted in:

• Blu-Ray
• Cannes 2001
• Hobbit Movie
• LotR Movies
• Merchandise
• Movie Fellowship of the Ring
• Movie Return of the King
• Movie The Two Towers
• Premieres
• Studios
• The Hobbit
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
• The Hobbit: There and Back Again
• The Lord of the Rings
• Warner Bros.

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