Peter Jackson to introduce ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films in theatrical rerelease

January 15, 2026

Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.’ (Warner Bros. Pictures/Fathom Entertainment)

Fans of The Lord of the Rings will get a special surprise as the films return to theaters to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring.

All three of The Lord of the Rings films are returning to cinemas this January. Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Entertainment have announced that director Peter Jackson has recorded exclusive and lengthy fan introductions for each of the extended editions of the three films — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King — which will play ahead of the films.

These fan introductions will include Jackson reflecting on the making of all of the films, what it was like to bring Middle-earth to life and what made creating the films so special. They are custom, never-before-seen insights from Jackson, and the videos were made exclusively for this Fathom Entertainment rerelease.

A sample of the introduction from Jackson for the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring is available to watch now.

“We could not be more pleased that the large The Lord of the Rings fanbase will have the benefit of hearing in-depth and exclusively in theatres from Peter Jackson himself prior to each of these three remarkable films,” Ray Nutt, the chief executive officer at Fathom Entertainment, said. “The extended editions of the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings movies are sure to be a landmark event for fans and a high point for classic film re-releases in 2026.”

You can return to the shire with the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in theaters from Jan. 16 through Jan. 18 and Jan. 23 through Jan. 25.