The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," the first installment of an ambitious fantasy trilogy based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, opened at No. 1 across North America and Europe, according to estimates issued on Sunday by officials at the film's producer, New Line Cinema. The movie also enjoyed a record for a single December day with its opening Wednesday of $18.2 million.

In the United States and Canada, the film grossed about $45.25 million for the three days beginning Friday. Since bowing on Wednesday, it has earned $73.1 million, in line with industry predictions of a $70 million to $80 million launch.

The opening score is "definitely a relief," said Rolf Mittweg, president of worldwide marketing and distribution at New Line, which spent $270 million making the trilogy. In 15 foreign territories, including 13 in Europe as well as New Zealand and South Africa, "The Lord of the Rings" has hauled in $60 million since 12/19/01, Mittweg said. Among the standouts: $16 million in Britain, $13.5 million in Germany, $8.4 million in France and $4.8 million in Spain. The films' director, Peter Jackson, shot all three films in his native New Zealand over 15 months, and the next two will roll out over the next two Christmases. Mittweg said many people attended screenings dressed as hobbits, the little elf-like creatures in the series.
"The Lord of the Rings" rang up a second weekend atop the North American box office as overall business received a boost from holiday moviegoers, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. Director Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" pulled in $37.4 million for the three days beginning Dec. 28 from 3,339 theaters across the United States and Canada. Its 12-day total stands at $154.5 million. Overseas data were not available for the weekend, but the film had pulled in $106 million by last Thursday. Executives at the film's producer, New Line Cinema, expected its worldwide total will have exceeded $300 million by 1/2/02.

After playing strongest to fans of late novelist J.R.R. Tolkien's hobbit books in its first weekend, the elaborate fantasy is now attracting a wider audience of families and seniors as well as repeat business, said Russell Schwartz, president of domestic marketing at New Line. New Line Cinema, a unit of AOL Time Warner Inc., will release the second and third installments of the ambitious $270 million project over the next two Christmases.

The books of Tolkein are brought to life!
Welcome to a world of elves, drawves, orcs, hobbits & men!

The American Film Institute called it the "best movie of 2001"!

...the season of smarter cinema continues as classy Oscar hopefuls such as The Lord of the Rings, A Beautiful Mind and The Royal Tenenbaums packed in audiences.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring grossed $23 million to remain the No. 1 movie for the third straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie pushed its total to $205.5 million in just 19 days, becoming a record sixth film released in 2001 to cross the $200 million mark.

...Becoming a Hobbit...1/13/02: Okay, this is starting to get a bit boring.

For the fourth week in a row, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring held off all competitors to remain the top movie at the box office, grossing another $16.2 million and bringing its four-week total to over $228 million. At this rate, the blockbuster, which dropped a respectable 30 percent from last weekend, is certainly on track to challenge the $300 million plus grossing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the No. 1 movie of 2001. The next few weeks will be crucial, as the fantasy stands to figure big in the upcoming Academy Award nominations, which will only increase its box office.

...1/21/02: in third place in its fifth week of release J.R.R.Tolkien's lordly tale was only averaging $3,988 million at 3,266 theaters, 115 less than last week. But this was only a 20 percent drop-off and this first episode of the Hobbit saga has now grossed a domestic total of $245.9 million...in its sixth week it placed eighth; in its seventh, seventh place...in the eighth, it had dropped out of the top 10...but wait!...

...2/12/02: the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has been nominated in 13 categories, including Best Picture, Director, Visual Effects, Make-up, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Supporting Actor (Ian McKellan), Film Editting, Sound, Adapted Screenplay, Music & Song May It Be (Enya)...

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Part 1)

...3/3/02: leading Academy Award nominee The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (AOL's New Line) returned to the top 10 after a two-week absence, jumping two spots to the final rung with $3.1 million. After 11 weekends, the adventure fantasy has grossed $287.4 million. Its 10 percent fall was the slightest in the top 10.

...3/10/02: the importance of an Oscar nomination was also evident this weekend in the staying power of 8th-place A Beautiful Mind, 10th-place The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and 16th-place In the Bedroom...all are best-picture nominees...

'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' won the Academy Awards for Cinematography, Make-up, Music Score and Visual Effects!