Synopsis

As the armies of Mordor gather for a final assault on Minas Tirith, Aragorn must accept his destiny and lead the people of Middle-earth. While the forces of good attempt to draw Sauron's attention away from Mordor, Frodo and Sam press onward with Gollum toward Mount Doom, where the fate of the One Ring and the entire world will be decided.

Factoids & Trivia

• The trilogy was filmed simultaneously in New Zealand, an unusually large-scale production approach that allowed the filmmakers to build and maintain a single continuous version of Middle-earth across all three movies.

• Although much of the beacon chain is computer-generated, one beacon was physically transported by helicopter to a mountaintop and lit for the filming of the sequence.

• Principal photography for the trilogy took place between October 1999 and December 2000, followed by additional pickup photography before the film's release.

• The Battle of the Black Gate was filmed in the Rangipo Desert, an area that had previously been used as a military training ground and contained former minefields.

• The film won all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture. It remains tied for the record for the most Oscar wins by a single film.

• The closing scenes were among the final material completed for the trilogy. The production's emotional farewell to the characters and performers became part of the film's legacy as the conclusion of a major cinematic undertaking.