Principal cast
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Andy Serkis
Film 335 of 342 on the Screen Path
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
There can be no triumph without loss. No victory without suffering. No freedom without sacrifice.
About the film
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at a glance.
Screen Path places this 2003 film at stop 335 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.โ
Key craft credits
Andrew Lesnie (director of photography), Jamie Selkirk (editor), Howard Shore (original music composer), Fran Walsh (screenplay) and Peter Jackson (screenplay)
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Release
- 2003-12-17
- Runtime
- 201 minutes
- Genres
- Adventure, Fantasy and Action
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example โFull cast
Full cast
- Elijah WoodCharacter: Frodo
- Ian McKellenCharacter: Gandalf
- Viggo MortensenCharacter: Aragorn
- Sean AstinCharacter: Sam
- Andy SerkisCharacter: Gollum / Smeagol
- Dominic MonaghanCharacter: Merry
- Billy BoydCharacter: Pippin
- John NobleCharacter: Denethor
- David WenhamCharacter: Faramir
- Miranda OttoCharacter: รowyn
- Bernard HillCharacter: Thรฉoden
- John Rhys-DaviesCharacter: Gimli
Full crew
Full crew
- Peter JacksonCredits: Screenplay, Director, Producer
- J. R. R. TolkienCredits: Novel
- Andrew LesnieCredits: Director of Photography
- Michael LynneCredits: Executive Producer
- Richard TaylorCredits: Costume Design, Special Effects Makeup Artist
- John HubbardCredits: Casting
- Philippa BoyensCredits: Screenplay
- Joe BleakleyCredits: Art Direction
- John HoweCredits: Conceptual Design
- Bob WeinsteinCredits: Executive Producer
- Mark RobinsCredits: Art Direction
- Ngila DicksonCredits: Costume Design
- Victoria BurrowsCredits: Casting
- Harvey WeinsteinCredits: Executive Producer
- Mark OrdeskyCredits: Executive Producer
- Dan HennahCredits: Set Decoration, Supervising Art Director
- Howard ShoreCredits: Original Music Composer, Songs
- Liz MullaneCredits: Casting
- Jamie SelkirkCredits: Editor, Co-Producer
- Barrie M. OsborneCredits: Producer
- Fran WalshCredits: Screenplay, Producer, Songs
- Rob OuttersideCredits: Art Direction
- Grant MajorCredits: Production Design
- Ann RobinsonCredits: Casting
- Amy HubbardCredits: Casting
- Sean ButtonCredits: Stunts
- Rick PorrasCredits: Co-Producer
- Guy WilliamsCredits: 3D Supervisor
- Casey O'NeillCredits: Stunts
- Bob AndersonCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Brett BeattieCredits: Stunts
- Branko DordevichCredits: Stunts
- Rodney CookCredits: Stunts
- Gareth CourtneyCredits: Stunts
- Mana Hira DavisCredits: Stunts
- Morgan EvansCredits: Stunts
- Shaughan CampbellCredits: Stunts
- Clint ElvyCredits: Stunts
- Justin B. CarterCredits: Stunts
- Shane DawsonCredits: Stunts
- Trevor BauCredits: Stunts
- Ryan CareyCredits: Stunts
- Peter DillonCredits: Stunts
- Daniel AndrewsCredits: Stunts
- Johnny SullivanCredits: Stunts
- Shane BlakeyCredits: Stunts
- Augie DavisCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Daniel W. BarringerCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Steve DrageCredits: Stunts
- Winham HammondCredits: Stunts
- Sebastiano CartierCredits: Stunts
- Amanda FoubisterCredits: Stunts
- Peter OwenCredits: Makeup & Hair
- Justin WebsterCredits: Sound Editor
- Melanie GrahamCredits: Sound Editor
- John WarhurstCredits: Sound Editor
- Ben SinclairCredits: Sound Editor
- Simon HewittCredits: Foley Artist
- Annie CollinsCredits: Additional Editor
- Mike JonesCredits: Sound Mixer
- Martin KwokCredits: Sound Editor
- Paul HuntingfordCredits: Foley Artist
- Martin OswinCredits: Foley Recording Engineer
- Gary SummersCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Katy WoodCredits: Foley Editor
- Tim CrosbieCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Kirk MaxwellCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Malcolm CromieCredits: Sound Recordist
- Phil HeywoodCredits: Foley Artist
- George Marshall RugeCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Angus RobertsonCredits: Foley Recording Engineer
- Peter MillsCredits: Foley Editor
- Bruno Barrett-GarnierCredits: Sound Editor
- Mark StetsonCredits: Visual Effects
- Ken SavilleCredits: Sound Recordist
- Steve IngramCredits: Special Effects Coordinator
- John McKayCredits: Sound Mixer
- Adrian MedhurstCredits: Foley Artist
- Erik WinquistCredits: 2D Sequence Supervisor
- Jacob TomuriCredits: Stunts
- Christian RiversCredits: Visual Effects Designer
- Alex LemkeCredits: 2D Sequence Supervisor
- Sala BakerCredits: Stunts
- Carolynne CunninghamCredits: First Assistant Director
- Jules CookCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Mike HopkinsCredits: Supervising Sound Editor
- Ethan Van der RynCredits: Supervising Sound Editor
- Hammond PeekCredits: Production Sound Mixer
- Jim RygielCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Alan LeeCredits: Set Decoration, Conceptual Design
- Lora HirschbergCredits: Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- James WhitlamCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- Chetan DeshmukhCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Catherine MaguireCredits: Makeup Artist
- Gail WilsonCredits: Makeup Artist
- Laurelle ZientoCredits: Makeup Artist
- Michael SemanickCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Margaret AstonCredits: Makeup Artist
- Emma MoncrieffCredits: Makeup Artist
- Hayden CollowCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Davina LamontCredits: Makeup Artist
- Kerryn Flewell-SmithCredits: Makeup Artist
- Steve DubinCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- John P. NugentCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Allie RutherfordCredits: Makeup Artist
- Tera TreanorCredits: Makeup Artist
- Dean LyonCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Noreen WilkieCredits: Makeup Artist
- Dave WhiteheadCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Christopher BoyesCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Craig TomlinsonCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Ivana PrimoracCredits: Makeup Artist
- David FarmerCredits: Sound Designer
- Eileen MoranCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- Joe LetteriCredits: Visual Effects Supervisor
- Lenore StewartCredits: Makeup Artist
- Michael HedgesCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Robyn IsaacsCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- Nancy HennahCredits: Makeup Artist
- Tim NielsenCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Addison TeagueCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Charlie McClellanCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- Paul LasaineCredits: Visual Effects Art Director
- Steve HopgoodCredits: Makeup Artist
- Beau BordersCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Brent BurgeCredits: Sound Effects Editor
- Dean WrightCredits: Visual Effects Producer
- Rick FindlaterCredits: Makeup Artist
- Vivienne MacGillicuddyCredits: Makeup Artist
- Angela MooarCredits: Makeup Artist
- Jacqui AllenCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Jeremy BennettCredits: Visual Effects Art Director
- Janine SchneiderCredits: Makeup Artist
- Jeremy WoodheadCredits: Makeup Artist, Hairstylist
- Tim WongCredits: Stunt Double
- Robert ShayeCredits: Executive Producer
- Randall William CookCredits: Animation Director
- Graham BindingCredits: Animation
- Bryan KuCredits: 3D Director
- Jamie BeswarickCredits: Sculptor
- Daniel FalconerCredits: Sculptor
- Aaron CowanCredits: Visual Effects Coordinator
- Glenn AndersonCredits: Visual Effects Coordinator
- Gillian West-WalkerCredits: Set Dresser
- Stephen SmartCredits: Data Wrangler
- Aurelian CampbellCredits: On Set Dresser
- William RichardsonCredits: Animal Wrangler
- Julian BryantCredits: Digital Compositor
- Paul StoryCredits: Senior Animator
- Andrew StroudCredits: Focus Puller
- Jason Lei HowdenCredits: VFX Artist
- Stuart ThorpCredits: Stunts
- Alexander NowotnyCredits: VFX Artist
- Dan KingCredits: Greensman
- Michael HatzerCredits: Color Timer
- Mark WillsherCredits: Supervising Music Editor
- Alex FunkeCredits: VFX Director of Photography
- Annie LennoxCredits: Songs
- Peter Swords KingCredits: Hair Designer, Makeup Designer
- Tania RodgerCredits: Special Effects
- Chris CoadCredits: Additional Still Photographer
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