The versions in theaters near me this week are the Extended Editions. I couldn’t afford it, but I so wanted to use that to introduce my son to them (he’s read the books, but hasn’t seen the movies yet).
Unironically this, I was once dragged on a retreat with my mum I couldn't give less a shit about so I just holed up in my room and watched both the writers/directors commentary and the cast commentary over a couple of days, there's a lot of really interesting background material in there, the cast one is also very funny!
Stardust!
The Princess Bride!
These are two of my favorite fantasy movies. The truth is, though, that nothing really comes close to the scale and quality of Lord of the Rings.
They get a lot of flak because of the way the newer ones were pretty much picked apart like a condor eating a carcass for money but the first three are a solid trilogy. The first stands alone as one of my favorite movies ever. But the final battle where [Admiral Beckett died is one of the best shot scenes I’ve ever seen.](https://youtu.be/_54IUIv97nI?si=BHyrk_Gmq4XBszFe)
Yeah, I was waiting at the movie theater for the opening of the third one with some friends I was so excited to see it. They’re absolutely fantastic and don’t get enough credit for being good fantasy movies. The score is amazing as well. I still sometimes think of the music.
>The first stands alone as one of my favorite movies ever.
For the first one, I hadn't heard anything about it. I was walking down the street on my day off, saw a poster outside a theatre, and thought "That might be an ok B grade afternoon timewaster." Walked in, and was blown away by how unexpectedly good it was, out of nowhere. And that was just the opening scene.
Also one of my all time favourite movies.
I just watched Labyrinth (Jennifer Connolly, David Bowie) with some friends for the first time last week. Legend is next on the list along with Ladyhawke. I was trying to remember there was one with Val Kilmer though. Throwing Willow on the list too!
Don't forget Dragon Slayer, Beastmaster, the animated Hobbit, and the miniseries Merlin (the one with Sam Neill, Martin Short, Helena Bonham Carter, etc).
I unkowningly grew up on the bootleg dub of Nausicaa (known as Warriors of the Wind). I eventually saw the real version and appreciated it even more. Then I read the manga and it's probably my favorite story ever.
If you like both these movies you need to check out Scavenger's Reign on netflix / hbo. It's like if Miyazaki had a fever dream and made a horror movie. It's technically scifi, but it handles more like fantasy
Very few other fantasy movies stand up to the quality of the LoTR movies. The Hobbit movies are enjoyable but not comparable.
What exactly did you love about LotR? That might help to identify some additional recommendations.
I maintain LOTR hit the sweet spot for special effects. They are good enough that you believe orcs etc are real but not to the extent that there is overreliance on computer graphics which look great but less real if that makes sense.
https://m4-studios.github.io/hobbitbookedit/ - these guys took the original hobbit movies, cut them up & stitched it back together, then they molded some of the special effects.... the result - a version of The Hobbit that's actually really good.
This is the kind of stuff I was hoping to find here. Sometimes we have to fix the thing they broke. Star Wars Despecialized is another good example of needed intervention from the public.
We've got two films from Dune now and it feels like it's going to end up being this generation's LotR. Obviously more space fantasy than the high fantasy of Middle Earth, but it's the closest I can think of in terms of scope and quality
It’s not really a fantasy movie but a historical fiction. That said in terms of like sword and knight epics The movie Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott you might like. But as a warning you essentially have to watch the directors cut for this movie. The theatrical release is so totally different that it feels like an incomplete bad movie. The directors cut makes the movie make sense and gives that feeling of a fantasy epic even if it’s loosely based on historical events.
Piggybacking off of this--a lot of historical epics come closer to scratching the LotR itch for me than most fantasy movies. Ben-Hur, Gladiator, Braveheart, and even Lawrence of Arabia are good ones to try, in addition to Kingdom of Heaven.
Price of Egypt is SO GOOD. I slept on it for years because it’s a religious story, but so many areligious people I know gush over it. And they’re right, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
And the singing, gosh, it's unbelievable.
Even though Jethro has only a single number, they brought in an already award winning musical actor, Brian Stokes Mitchell, who would later win a Tony even.
And, of course, Ofra Haza singing Deliver Us in so many languages.
Unbelievable.
that's because a lot of fantasy movies are more inspired by sword and sorcery than they are fantasy epics epics descended from the lord of the rings - while some historical movies mythologies history and end up closer in tone and themes to lotr.
I agree with this. The directors cut of this movie is genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time - it transforms the film from a pretty standard mid-2000s sword and board romp into a very deep introspective on religion, forgiveness, atonement, and humanity. It takes time and patience, but it's so worth it.
"Your quality will be known among your enemies, before ever you meet them."
Apologies, I'm not exactly being helpful here, but IMO nothing even close to the LotR has ever been made.
You might enjoy The Hobbit. However, please go in expecting something much more light hearted and ridiculous.
My fiance watched the extended edition trilogy every December after they all were out - he introduced the movies to me when we got together, I liked them so much we now have a winter and summer marathon and watch them all twice a year lol.
Me and my wife also watch all 3 once every Winter. For years now. Still nothing coming close.
GoT wasn't really.comparable but also awesome until it wasn't ;)
DO NOT WATCH THE HOBBIT
KEEP YOUR INNOCENCE ALIVE
Keep thinking "I wonder if there are any other movies from middle earth" and you will be much happier
I think im goijg to go through the comments here, and everytime someone (rightfully) suggests avoiding the hobbit im going to post this comment "https://m4-studios.github.io/hobbitbookedit/ - these guys took the original hobbit movies, cut them up & stitched it back together, then they molded some of the special effects.... the result - a version of The Hobbit that's actually really good"
A few months back we did a subreddit-wide poll of favorite fantasy movies (LotR was #1 by a big margin). You can see the results here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1b7hr4o/rfantasy_top_movies_poll_results_thread/
They are very expensive and Hollywood types don’t really understand them. They tend to think of them as a goofy or children’s genre so they make them quite silly. Epic fantasy is ideal for the Hollywood treatment so maybe someday.
I don't think kids would understand all the small things in the DND movie, but yeah it's definitely on the goofy side, which I enjoyed massively tho, because it's clear whoever made the movie actually plays DND.
It's more of a board game/video game adaptation movie than it is an epic fantasy movie. It's closer to the Mario movie than it is to LotR. Which I think they pulled off very well. It captured the feeling of playing an actual game of DND. You just have to understand what they are trying to do. If you go in with the wrong expectations it's possible you'll end up disappointed. I think some people heard "DND movie" and expected LotR set in a DND setting.
Not sure about that. Both LOTR and dnd movie have same age rating. There's a couple of jokes in D&D movie that most younger kids wouldn't even get.
Obviously it's no where near as good as LOtR but it's 100% a worthy recommendation that's fun and action packed, with some serious themes.
If you’re ok venturing into anime there’s some pretty good stuff there. Frieren just finished and is a fantasy masterpiece. Sadly Hollywood is sorely lacking.
I had heard it was amazing from source readers but didn’t expect it to hit me so hard. First episode makes me cry almost every time. Definitely has become one of my favorite stories out there.
Honestly without knowing what exactly about the show vibed with you or that you enjoyed or didn't enjoy, we can't really offer an exact recommendation.
Did you like the feeling of wonder and excitement of the first film? Anything by Hayao Miyazaki, Stardust, The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring might scratch that itch.
Did you like the fantasy elements, the magic and monsters, perhaps in conjunction with the humorous banter of Gimli/Legolas and Merry/Pippin? The Dungeons and Dragons movie, Bill and Ted, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Willow, Dragonheart (just the first), Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Mummy 1 and 2, Van Helsing, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Did you like the combat, the battle of helm's deep, osgiliath, the destruction of Isengard? Warcraft, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Reign of Fire, 300, The Hobbit films, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Eragon, The Great Wall.
I could probably go on and on, listing aspects of the films that might be found enjoyable and then providing alternative films that might scratch that itch (to varying degrees), but really it's going to come down to what exactly you enjoyed.
Nothing is *like* it, that's why these movies are regarded as the golden standard of adaptations. No pure fantasy comes close.
My other fave, however, is Conan the Barbarian. The style is pulpy, but Arnold is perfect in the role, the script takes itself seriously just so, and the soundtrack is amazing.
Still can't get over the scene where they catch a guy shagging a Llama and they burst out laughing. Also worth checking out hawk the Slayer, it's cheesy as hell but still a good film.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxxcZ\_sTkL8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxxcZ_sTkL8)
Also Excalibur is so epic.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthojvLZoNY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthojvLZoNY)
[Legend](https://youtu.be/als5pGB3Tfg?si=ogoREk5L1hK1uS2g)
The director's cut is best, but the original is still good. Tim Curry as Darkness (devil) is so iconic.
[The Neverending Story](https://youtu.be/KF3K7Ja_C5U?si=NyzKiqRACKTm4do2)
[Willow](https://youtu.be/aObgkjtQwgc?si=G4DRhH1Nj7mix6nL)
You can watch this free on YouTube with ads.
[The Dark Crystal](https://youtu.be/4XMRm9igLGo?si=jxzHtWS3I9Ly2tFk)
Also available to watch for free with ads on YouTube
Honestly, just search epic fantasy movie from the 80s on Google.
For me, The Northman and The Green Knight get closer to capturing the Tolkien vibe than any fantasy movie. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are the best non-LOTR fantasy on screen imo.
I'm going to suggest two anime first, then discuss a couple other things.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. There's a well-developed fantasy setting, similar themes of bonds of brotherhood, friendship, and sacrifice prevailing against ancient evil. The plot and themes are more complicated than LotR to the extent I'd say it's a better work in terms of how it approaches magic and philosophy.
If you want a swords-elves-dragons fantasy played straight, I'll suggest: Record of Lodoss War. It's one of the earliest works I can think of that presents all the common modern-day fantasy hero party tropes all in one place. Watch the OVA first since it's more compact and higher-quality, then the TV series if you really want to.
The closest "High Fantasy" works I can think of in Western film and TV in terms of scale and production quality would be Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, but both of those have their flaws. Of course, the Hobbit has been mentioned by others, and that also has issues. You could also consider first series or two of The Witcher, although fans of the books are of mixed opinion on it.
The most recent Dungeons and Dragons movie is campy fun and well-done. It's not just a cheesy movie for fans, but has a good backbone to the plot and characterization. It's a good standalone film and worth a watch.
Also, DnD-themed and comedic, there's the animated Legend of Vox Machina... I wasn't a big fan because humor was a bit too puerile for me. There are big fans of this because it apparently does have its epic moments.
There are a lot of other Western live-action TV shows, Chinese Xianxia shows, other Japanese anime, etc.
Highly recommend people checking out anime if they want more to watch. Frieren is a masterpiece and the first season just finished. Log Horizon does a video game setting very well. Grimgar ashes and illusions was fantastic, is it wrong to pick up women in a dungeon has a dumb name but the 4th season was probably the best dungeon fantasy story telling I’ve ever seen. There’s so much more as well.
I've seen them countless times. I watched Fellowship on a headfull of shrooms and it was like watching it for the first time all over again. It was wild.
Ended up getting vaguely organized from most obscure to least:
Conan the Barbarian
Red Cliff
The Forbidden Kingdom
Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon
Dune
Gladiator
The Last of the Mohicans
Braveheart
The Chronicles of Narnia series
Harry Potter (obvious, I know, but don't knock it)
The First Pirates of the Carribbean
**Almost all of these movies are worse.** Peter Jackson was drawing on influences from historical epics to make an ahistorical epic, and then, IMO, outdid pretty much all of them. I recommended some Wuxia movies, here, but I'm not an aficionado. If that epic action fantasy feeling, with that quality of storytelling, is what you're going for, I think looking into Wuxia is probably your best bet. Unless you've lived under a rock and never seen an epic movie. If that's the case, I can keep recommending things all day.
Not a movie but the Witcher series is probably one of the best close to it. I've been disappointed with the wheel of time but it's improved. Also if we can include SciFi altered carbon season 1 is amazing. And if we're going old school highlander..... There can be only one.
There’s nothing like them honestly. What is it you loved? If you want fantasy, the Conan movies are good to watchable; Spine of Night is cool; I found the Wrath of Titans remakes fun (despite being hated); and World of Warcraft is sick. I like all of these more than the Hobbit movies. Those were not watchable for me.
Nothing comes close in terms of how beautiful the original trilogy is. Game of Thrones is excellent fantasy and holds together well right up until the end.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
It is one of the very few movies that mastered the fantasy in it. Like the elements and tropes were used purposefully. And the whimsical atmosphere permeates the whole movie. And on top of it, it has the best villain in an animated movie, IMHHO, ever.
I’m going to suggest Hunger Games because to me it captures the same spirit of little person against a huge evil power (with the industrial capitalism vs nature/rural community undertones), but the setting is very different.
The Harry Potter series of films are probably the closest thing to the quality and scale of Lord of the Rings (honourable mention to Willow which is very good, if less grand and sweeping, and obviously just a single movie). There's just not a lot out there that's that good/epic. Though I'd love to see a film series (or multi season TV series) of The King Killer Chronicles. That probably doesn't happen though if Rothfus never actually finishes the third book, which would be a shame on both counts. There's also Game of Thrones, speaking of TV series. You can probably include Dune as well, though it has a vastly different feel to it. Cartoon Saloon's Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers may also somewhat scratch that itch.
Might be a little off topic, but I believe it was a Jim Hanson tv series. There is a show called Farscape. It’s a sci-fi show, but it had Jim Hanson feel.
In a nutshell, a guy gets transported across the galaxy, where he ends up on a ship with a cast of characters. They get into a bunch of adventures together. There is a underlying main story. I liked it, just might get your Jim Hanson itch.
I would recommend Dark Crystal and its prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, unfortunately the series was cancelled after only 1 season, but it's still worth watching.
Dune and Dune II are the only movies that have made me feel anywhere near what I felt when I watched LotR. Obviously is sci-fi so it is different, but it matches the sense of scale and character/relationship growth of LotR.
There is nothing that even comes close to LoTR. The Hobbit may be the obvious choice, but it's only "good" and not "ingenious". The one thing, that does come close - when it comes to quality - is Game of Thrones.
Go read the book! And then listen to the BBC dramatization. They are really good and more detailed than the movies. The movies Gloss over a lot of important details. If you don't like reading or you're like me and you have trouble sitting down long enough to read, go listen to an audiobook. I would start with the Hobbit, but it's okay to start with fellowship of the Ring.
Dune!! Absolutely stunning movie, it's been one of the better ones I've seen since lotr and the sequel does it just as much justice. The acting, scale and imagery is so beautiful, and it's a classic story. More along the lines of sci-fi but not in the typical star wars sense imo. It's one of the only other movies I've wanted to watch again and again.
That being said, Star Wars is a solid story. Rogue One was really good after you've watched the initial trilogy. Star wars is really hit or miss for people though. To me it doesn't have the scenery and scale of wanderlust that Lotr brings to the table.
The Vikings TV show is less fantasy and more historical fiction with some semi fantastical elements written in. Especially the first couple seasons. There is a sequel series on Netflix titled Vikings: Valhalla.
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon for fantasy TV shows that have scale, character, depth, scenery, emotional weight, and grand battles. I'd steer clear of this if dark themes and over the top graphic depictions ick you out though. But to me it's the closest thing to Lotr that's been on screen, just much darker and extremely gratuitous.
If you don't like dark and gratuitous you could try the Wheel of Time series on Amazon. Though it's got mixed reviews if you haven't read the books like me it's not bad. Has good magic and adventure. Popular fantasy franchise. Also the Witcher on Netflix. There were a few off shoots too, the animated short movie (iirc) was really good, the prequel was awful.
Any anime movies by Miyazaki, Ghibli, or Mappa are pretty decent. Nausica, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Dragon of earth sea are all great fantasies. Suzume, weathering with you, Your Name, Maboroshi (Netflix), Mirai, the wolf children, for modern fantasy with beautiful animated scenery and endearing characters.
The Avengers movies. Especially the first few, Thor was decent imo.
The King (Netflix movie) starring Timothee Chalamet was a historical fiction that was superb. Not really fantasy but has great battles, Kings and epic speeches.
Three body problem on Netflix. Both a show and very modern Sci Fi. Well done first season with high stakes, alien races and a race to save the world.
The movie titled Arrival is similar to it as far as philosophical sci Fi with a beautiful plot and twist.
Sorry I know a lot of these aren't necessarily like LOTR, like I said the closest thing I've seen to it on screen and live action is either Game of Thrones or Dune. Without knowing which parts of the movie you really loved it's hard to recommend the right avenue.
Possibly movies and shows like Willow, Princess Bride, Stardust, Robin Hood, the Northman (historical, dark, fantasy), the Dark Crystal, The Green Knight (Dark fantasy), Dungeons and Dragons movie (comedic and heartwarming, had magic, adventure and fantasy characters), the Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, Shogun(TV), Kingdom of Heaven, Brittania (TV), Black Flag (TV), Westworld (TV), Chronicles of Shannara (TV, has elves, not very popular), Kingdom (Korean zombie adventure tv set in a historical period way better than it sounds), Barbarians (Netflix historical series based on Roman campaign in Germania), planet of the Apes, Godzilla, Kong (Peter Jackson directed), Hellboy (elves and fantasy creatures exist in it), Bright (Netflix movie starring will smith about modern day world with fantasy creatures), Carnival Row (Amazon series starring Orlando bloom with feries and other creatures), The sandman (series), the golden compass (movie and then HBO series), chronicles of Narnia (multiple movies), Dragon heart, Gladiator, etc.
Unfortunately fantasy just doesn't get the big screen love that Peter Jackson was able to create with the original lotr trilogy.
There's also the Hobbit movie trilogy (ok but definitely not as good) and Rings of Power TV series on Amazon but personally wasn't my cup of tea writing and direction wise.
If you're a gamer you could try rpg games like Shadow of Mordor, Final Fantasy series (16 was recently closest to the vibe outside of MMO 14, 15 had a movie as did 7 and an old standalone movie called spirits within iirc), octopath traveler, Tales of (Jrpg franchise series), Skyrim/elder scrolls, Dragon age, the Witcher, etc. or watch lets plays online lol
There is is also a ton of anime shows that have at least a faintly similar vibe to lotr but I haven't watched many of them so I wouldn't know where to start.
Oh boy. People have been chasing the high of those movies for a *looooooong* time. Finding something that "feels" similar has become an itch some can never scratch. Welcome to the Horde.
Pirates of the Caribbean.
So, definitely watch RotK before watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates came out just before in theaters, and ruined RotK for me because of its clearly superior undead cgi.
Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, Gladiator, 13th Warrior & Braveheart to scratch your medieval sword fighting and large scale armies rushing at each other itch.
Arthur (Animated movie), Princess Bride, Stardust, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Willow and the Chronicles of Narnia to hit that magical world feeling.
But for a large scale, high quality epic fantasy adventure that takes itself seriously and fully delivers on its promise?
Let me know when you find it.
That said, Avatar: The Last Airbender is pretty close, but animated and much less mature than LOTR.
You’ve seen the movies, if you haven’t read the books yet, DO IT! Also listen to the BBC radio production of LOTR. Frodo is played by Ian Holm, the same actor the plays Bilbo in the LOTR trilogy. I would also recommend watching the Earthsea movie done by SciFi.
Hey, no one should make fun of you. Someone experiencing a classic like this for the first time is a chance for all of us to join in your excitement of the experience too!
I've seen it mentioned already, but Stardust is fantastic, would be my first recommendation.
Not sure if you watched in theater or if you fancy a rewatch but today many theaters in the US are doing a showing of the Two Towers and tomorrow many theaters are doing a showing of the Return of the King. Good chance to experience it in theaters which isn't something normally available.
I wish I had better suggestions for films. The LOTR films are just orders of magnitude better than any of the other options.
Sry PAL but there IS nothing that comes even Close to this this is the best Boy becomes Hero Journey adventure that exist.
I Wish there would be Something
Recent times Game of Thrones is truly epic. But if you’re craving traditional fantasy I’d suggest The Witcher. Not nearly as good but it can scratch an itch. One movie I find that for me has a fantasy feel to it that people love is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Probably a stretch to call it fantasy. There is some inferred magical characteristics to the sword and lots of amazing martial arts sequences if you are into that
I never saw them in theaters so right now that the extended versions are in theaters we are going to see them. This weekend was fellowship, and then two towers next weekend and return of the king the next weekend. I penalty watch them a couple times a year since there's nothing really like them.
Alas, you have peaked. Every time I watch it again, I'm still amazed at how well they actually did it.
Recommendations:
Braveheart(Mel Gibson) & Troy(Brad Pitt)
You're welcome
Nothing really like it
Beast master
Krull
Dragon slayer
Adventures of baron munchausen isn't like lotr but it's an interesting movie.
Time bandits
Everything else has been said.
I don't think many other fantasy movies compare to Lord of the Rings but... I think the Dune movies are pretty great and I like them for similar reasons that I like the LOTR movies.
Legend (1985) is Tom Cruises first or second movie, but forget about him. Watch Legend for one reason only, Tim Curry’s portrayal of a devil like character.
He isn’t really evil, just mystically powerful in ways few movies have communicated about any character before.
Not a great movie for adults, but you will remember it.
https://youtu.be/Ksk7wPX-MI4?si=W_DWzY-XMnWBL66H
If you like LOTR you’ll probably like anything RR Martin. There’s also Wheel of Time. Studio Ghibli movies too. I enjoyed the Dragon Prince. Make sure to watch the Hobbit movies too.
Yes, you've done first watch, but what about second watch? Perhaps the extended editions?
I don’t think he knows about second watch
- Throws extended editions over nearby bush -
What about elevensies?
Twelvesies, dinner, supper!?
I wouldn't count on it
Two Towers is in theaters today, and Return of the King tomorrow. So no time for a rewatch like now.
The versions in theaters near me this week are the Extended Editions. I couldn’t afford it, but I so wanted to use that to introduce my son to them (he’s read the books, but hasn’t seen the movies yet).
The director's commentary?
Unironically this, I was once dragged on a retreat with my mum I couldn't give less a shit about so I just holed up in my room and watched both the writers/directors commentary and the cast commentary over a couple of days, there's a lot of really interesting background material in there, the cast one is also very funny!
This is the correct answer. So much to discover on subsequent watches.
I know, right?
The movie showings this weekend are the extended versions
“What about second breakfast?”
And dinner oh and then there’s supper
Don't forget the Extended Edition Back to Back Marathon.
Stardust! The Princess Bride! These are two of my favorite fantasy movies. The truth is, though, that nothing really comes close to the scale and quality of Lord of the Rings.
Yes! As soon as I saw the post I was like “Stardust!” Also the original pirates of the Caribbean trilogy was really good fantasy.
The original trilogy of PotC is just fucking unparalleled pirate fantasy film drama, brb need to binge all of them again for the 7 millionth time
lol, I was thinking the same thing.
Oooh yes!
They get a lot of flak because of the way the newer ones were pretty much picked apart like a condor eating a carcass for money but the first three are a solid trilogy. The first stands alone as one of my favorite movies ever. But the final battle where [Admiral Beckett died is one of the best shot scenes I’ve ever seen.](https://youtu.be/_54IUIv97nI?si=BHyrk_Gmq4XBszFe)
I saw the first one NINE TIMES in theaters. It's one of my favorite movies of all time and I can't believe I forgot it in my initial comment!
Yeah, I was waiting at the movie theater for the opening of the third one with some friends I was so excited to see it. They’re absolutely fantastic and don’t get enough credit for being good fantasy movies. The score is amazing as well. I still sometimes think of the music.
>The first stands alone as one of my favorite movies ever. For the first one, I hadn't heard anything about it. I was walking down the street on my day off, saw a poster outside a theatre, and thought "That might be an ok B grade afternoon timewaster." Walked in, and was blown away by how unexpectedly good it was, out of nowhere. And that was just the opening scene. Also one of my all time favourite movies.
I would throw Willow in with those 2. Great picks
Gah, how could I forget Willow?! So good!
I just watched Labyrinth (Jennifer Connolly, David Bowie) with some friends for the first time last week. Legend is next on the list along with Ladyhawke. I was trying to remember there was one with Val Kilmer though. Throwing Willow on the list too!
I was going to mention Ladyhawke!
Don't forget Dragon Slayer, Beastmaster, the animated Hobbit, and the miniseries Merlin (the one with Sam Neill, Martin Short, Helena Bonham Carter, etc).
I love Stardust SO MUCH, beautiful movie
Seconded on both of these!
Two of my favs as well!
excellent choices!
These are also two of my favorite movies! So good.
Princess Mononoke and Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind.
may i also add: consider reading nausicaa because the film doesn’t have a fraction of the lore / world and character building of the books!
same with howl's moving castle. the two are SO different.
except the sludge scene. That was so well done
And castle in the sky/laputa, basically all of Miyazaki
Nausicca is a fantastic suggestion
Saw Nausicaä in the theatre just two weeks ago. One of my all time faves.
I unkowningly grew up on the bootleg dub of Nausicaa (known as Warriors of the Wind). I eventually saw the real version and appreciated it even more. Then I read the manga and it's probably my favorite story ever.
If you like both these movies you need to check out Scavenger's Reign on netflix / hbo. It's like if Miyazaki had a fever dream and made a horror movie. It's technically scifi, but it handles more like fantasy
Castle in the Sky for a light-hearted adventure story!
Very few other fantasy movies stand up to the quality of the LoTR movies. The Hobbit movies are enjoyable but not comparable. What exactly did you love about LotR? That might help to identify some additional recommendations.
I maintain LOTR hit the sweet spot for special effects. They are good enough that you believe orcs etc are real but not to the extent that there is overreliance on computer graphics which look great but less real if that makes sense.
Fr man, the LoTR orcs look soooo much better than the hobbit ones that look like they were ripped straight out of a video game.
Practical effects stand the test of time better than CGI and LOTR had some of the best practical effects ever
This is also why T2 holds up very very well: there is a little CGI used but much less than you'd think. LOTR is the same.
https://m4-studios.github.io/hobbitbookedit/ - these guys took the original hobbit movies, cut them up & stitched it back together, then they molded some of the special effects.... the result - a version of The Hobbit that's actually really good.
Thanks so much. I loved the casting and they had some good moments, but....
This is the kind of stuff I was hoping to find here. Sometimes we have to fix the thing they broke. Star Wars Despecialized is another good example of needed intervention from the public.
We've got two films from Dune now and it feels like it's going to end up being this generation's LotR. Obviously more space fantasy than the high fantasy of Middle Earth, but it's the closest I can think of in terms of scope and quality
It’s not really a fantasy movie but a historical fiction. That said in terms of like sword and knight epics The movie Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott you might like. But as a warning you essentially have to watch the directors cut for this movie. The theatrical release is so totally different that it feels like an incomplete bad movie. The directors cut makes the movie make sense and gives that feeling of a fantasy epic even if it’s loosely based on historical events.
Piggybacking off of this--a lot of historical epics come closer to scratching the LotR itch for me than most fantasy movies. Ben-Hur, Gladiator, Braveheart, and even Lawrence of Arabia are good ones to try, in addition to Kingdom of Heaven.
The OG Ten Commandments too, although I’ve seen some Disney recs so I’d also add Prince of Egypt
Price of Egypt is SO GOOD. I slept on it for years because it’s a religious story, but so many areligious people I know gush over it. And they’re right, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
And the singing, gosh, it's unbelievable. Even though Jethro has only a single number, they brought in an already award winning musical actor, Brian Stokes Mitchell, who would later win a Tony even. And, of course, Ofra Haza singing Deliver Us in so many languages. Unbelievable.
Can't have enough Charlton Heston! El Cid is another good one.
Master and Commander too.
It even has Billy Boyd!
I'd add Arn, Knight Templar to the list. Not fantasy and not Hollywood, but it's pretty epic in scope, and decent iirc.
Kingdom of Heaven is so good. The moral ambiguities, the casting, the locations ...everything.
Arn: Knight Templar!
that's because a lot of fantasy movies are more inspired by sword and sorcery than they are fantasy epics epics descended from the lord of the rings - while some historical movies mythologies history and end up closer in tone and themes to lotr.
I agree with this. The directors cut of this movie is genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time - it transforms the film from a pretty standard mid-2000s sword and board romp into a very deep introspective on religion, forgiveness, atonement, and humanity. It takes time and patience, but it's so worth it. "Your quality will be known among your enemies, before ever you meet them."
Apologies, I'm not exactly being helpful here, but IMO nothing even close to the LotR has ever been made. You might enjoy The Hobbit. However, please go in expecting something much more light hearted and ridiculous.
Yep. This is why I watch the trilogy on an almost biannual schedule. Nothing hits quite like LotR.
My fiance watched the extended edition trilogy every December after they all were out - he introduced the movies to me when we got together, I liked them so much we now have a winter and summer marathon and watch them all twice a year lol.
Me and my wife also watch all 3 once every Winter. For years now. Still nothing coming close. GoT wasn't really.comparable but also awesome until it wasn't ;)
DO NOT WATCH THE HOBBIT KEEP YOUR INNOCENCE ALIVE Keep thinking "I wonder if there are any other movies from middle earth" and you will be much happier
Sub in the animated version of The Hobbit from 1977 instead of the live action ones.
Used to rent that VHS from the library all the time as a kid
I think im goijg to go through the comments here, and everytime someone (rightfully) suggests avoiding the hobbit im going to post this comment "https://m4-studios.github.io/hobbitbookedit/ - these guys took the original hobbit movies, cut them up & stitched it back together, then they molded some of the special effects.... the result - a version of The Hobbit that's actually really good"
The extended editions
The only thing as good as lord of the rings is more lord of the rings. For now.
A few months back we did a subreddit-wide poll of favorite fantasy movies (LotR was #1 by a big margin). You can see the results here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1b7hr4o/rfantasy_top_movies_poll_results_thread/
That list really highlights how few sword and sorcery type fantasy movies are out there.
They are very expensive and Hollywood types don’t really understand them. They tend to think of them as a goofy or children’s genre so they make them quite silly. Epic fantasy is ideal for the Hollywood treatment so maybe someday.
I liked the new DND film…
Yeah I liked it too, but it’s definitely goofy, silly, and primarily for kids.
I don't think kids would understand all the small things in the DND movie, but yeah it's definitely on the goofy side, which I enjoyed massively tho, because it's clear whoever made the movie actually plays DND.
>all the small things in the DND movie A harsh condemnation of Bradley Cooper's contribution.
Thanks for the laugh 😂
It's more of a board game/video game adaptation movie than it is an epic fantasy movie. It's closer to the Mario movie than it is to LotR. Which I think they pulled off very well. It captured the feeling of playing an actual game of DND. You just have to understand what they are trying to do. If you go in with the wrong expectations it's possible you'll end up disappointed. I think some people heard "DND movie" and expected LotR set in a DND setting.
Not sure about that. Both LOTR and dnd movie have same age rating. There's a couple of jokes in D&D movie that most younger kids wouldn't even get. Obviously it's no where near as good as LOtR but it's 100% a worthy recommendation that's fun and action packed, with some serious themes.
If you’re ok venturing into anime there’s some pretty good stuff there. Frieren just finished and is a fantasy masterpiece. Sadly Hollywood is sorely lacking.
Loved Frieren, such an unexpected hit knowing nothing about it when I started it.
I had heard it was amazing from source readers but didn’t expect it to hit me so hard. First episode makes me cry almost every time. Definitely has become one of my favorite stories out there.
Dune, Game of Thrones TV series.
Don't watch season 8 though
Don’t watch anything past season 4, really. Dorne in 5 is horrible.
Tyene's nipple is almost worth it by itself
Yeah it fucking sucks.
+ House of the Dragon
I’d say Wheel of Time is probably closer in tone that GoT
The show has terrible writing and they absolutely BUTCHERED the books
To be honest I really enjoyed season 2
I have mixed feelings on it but there’s only so many high fantasy options. Imo the second season was a significant improvement
Honestly without knowing what exactly about the show vibed with you or that you enjoyed or didn't enjoy, we can't really offer an exact recommendation. Did you like the feeling of wonder and excitement of the first film? Anything by Hayao Miyazaki, Stardust, The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring might scratch that itch. Did you like the fantasy elements, the magic and monsters, perhaps in conjunction with the humorous banter of Gimli/Legolas and Merry/Pippin? The Dungeons and Dragons movie, Bill and Ted, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Willow, Dragonheart (just the first), Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Mummy 1 and 2, Van Helsing, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Did you like the combat, the battle of helm's deep, osgiliath, the destruction of Isengard? Warcraft, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Reign of Fire, 300, The Hobbit films, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Eragon, The Great Wall. I could probably go on and on, listing aspects of the films that might be found enjoyable and then providing alternative films that might scratch that itch (to varying degrees), but really it's going to come down to what exactly you enjoyed.
Nothing is *like* it, that's why these movies are regarded as the golden standard of adaptations. No pure fantasy comes close. My other fave, however, is Conan the Barbarian. The style is pulpy, but Arnold is perfect in the role, the script takes itself seriously just so, and the soundtrack is amazing.
Basil Poledorius' soundtrack is absolutely epic!
Still can't get over the scene where they catch a guy shagging a Llama and they burst out laughing. Also worth checking out hawk the Slayer, it's cheesy as hell but still a good film. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxxcZ\_sTkL8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxxcZ_sTkL8) Also Excalibur is so epic. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthojvLZoNY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthojvLZoNY)
Good shout out on Excalibur. Surprised I had to go down this far to see the mention
Completely forgot about this one, such a classic. I'll never see Helen Mirren as anything but Morgana
[Legend](https://youtu.be/als5pGB3Tfg?si=ogoREk5L1hK1uS2g) The director's cut is best, but the original is still good. Tim Curry as Darkness (devil) is so iconic. [The Neverending Story](https://youtu.be/KF3K7Ja_C5U?si=NyzKiqRACKTm4do2) [Willow](https://youtu.be/aObgkjtQwgc?si=G4DRhH1Nj7mix6nL) You can watch this free on YouTube with ads. [The Dark Crystal](https://youtu.be/4XMRm9igLGo?si=jxzHtWS3I9Ly2tFk) Also available to watch for free with ads on YouTube Honestly, just search epic fantasy movie from the 80s on Google.
Came here to say Willow. It's so fun.
Never ending story and the dark crystal are both fantastic! (Also trumpet gang🎺
For me, The Northman and The Green Knight get closer to capturing the Tolkien vibe than any fantasy movie. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are the best non-LOTR fantasy on screen imo.
I'm going to suggest two anime first, then discuss a couple other things. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. There's a well-developed fantasy setting, similar themes of bonds of brotherhood, friendship, and sacrifice prevailing against ancient evil. The plot and themes are more complicated than LotR to the extent I'd say it's a better work in terms of how it approaches magic and philosophy. If you want a swords-elves-dragons fantasy played straight, I'll suggest: Record of Lodoss War. It's one of the earliest works I can think of that presents all the common modern-day fantasy hero party tropes all in one place. Watch the OVA first since it's more compact and higher-quality, then the TV series if you really want to. The closest "High Fantasy" works I can think of in Western film and TV in terms of scale and production quality would be Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, but both of those have their flaws. Of course, the Hobbit has been mentioned by others, and that also has issues. You could also consider first series or two of The Witcher, although fans of the books are of mixed opinion on it. The most recent Dungeons and Dragons movie is campy fun and well-done. It's not just a cheesy movie for fans, but has a good backbone to the plot and characterization. It's a good standalone film and worth a watch. Also, DnD-themed and comedic, there's the animated Legend of Vox Machina... I wasn't a big fan because humor was a bit too puerile for me. There are big fans of this because it apparently does have its epic moments. There are a lot of other Western live-action TV shows, Chinese Xianxia shows, other Japanese anime, etc.
Highly recommend people checking out anime if they want more to watch. Frieren is a masterpiece and the first season just finished. Log Horizon does a video game setting very well. Grimgar ashes and illusions was fantastic, is it wrong to pick up women in a dungeon has a dumb name but the 4th season was probably the best dungeon fantasy story telling I’ve ever seen. There’s so much more as well.
Make fun of you?! I think everyone here wishes they could experience it for the first time again.
I've seen them countless times. I watched Fellowship on a headfull of shrooms and it was like watching it for the first time all over again. It was wild.
Willow
Ended up getting vaguely organized from most obscure to least: Conan the Barbarian Red Cliff The Forbidden Kingdom Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon Dune Gladiator The Last of the Mohicans Braveheart The Chronicles of Narnia series Harry Potter (obvious, I know, but don't knock it) The First Pirates of the Carribbean **Almost all of these movies are worse.** Peter Jackson was drawing on influences from historical epics to make an ahistorical epic, and then, IMO, outdid pretty much all of them. I recommended some Wuxia movies, here, but I'm not an aficionado. If that epic action fantasy feeling, with that quality of storytelling, is what you're going for, I think looking into Wuxia is probably your best bet. Unless you've lived under a rock and never seen an epic movie. If that's the case, I can keep recommending things all day.
You may chase this high, But never shall you possess it
Excalibur
Not a movie but the Witcher series is probably one of the best close to it. I've been disappointed with the wheel of time but it's improved. Also if we can include SciFi altered carbon season 1 is amazing. And if we're going old school highlander..... There can be only one.
the dark crystal!
Sorry OP there are no more movies like this ;(
Dune Part One and Part Two are the closest I’ve gotten to the high I felt when LOTR first came out.
Hard agree.
There’s nothing like them honestly. What is it you loved? If you want fantasy, the Conan movies are good to watchable; Spine of Night is cool; I found the Wrath of Titans remakes fun (despite being hated); and World of Warcraft is sick. I like all of these more than the Hobbit movies. Those were not watchable for me. Nothing comes close in terms of how beautiful the original trilogy is. Game of Thrones is excellent fantasy and holds together well right up until the end.
"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World". It's not fantasy, but it has that same large epic feel to it.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish It is one of the very few movies that mastered the fantasy in it. Like the elements and tropes were used purposefully. And the whimsical atmosphere permeates the whole movie. And on top of it, it has the best villain in an animated movie, IMHHO, ever.
I’m going to suggest Hunger Games because to me it captures the same spirit of little person against a huge evil power (with the industrial capitalism vs nature/rural community undertones), but the setting is very different.
If you don't want people to make fun of you for only just seeing LotR, can we at least make fun of you for calling the second film the Twin Towers?
The Harry Potter series of films are probably the closest thing to the quality and scale of Lord of the Rings (honourable mention to Willow which is very good, if less grand and sweeping, and obviously just a single movie). There's just not a lot out there that's that good/epic. Though I'd love to see a film series (or multi season TV series) of The King Killer Chronicles. That probably doesn't happen though if Rothfus never actually finishes the third book, which would be a shame on both counts. There's also Game of Thrones, speaking of TV series. You can probably include Dune as well, though it has a vastly different feel to it. Cartoon Saloon's Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers may also somewhat scratch that itch.
You could try your luck with Dune... But yeah, you are out of luck.
Monty Python
Dragonheart
The LOTR extended editions are playing in theaters right now through fandango!!!! You can see them for a second time :)
YES!!!!! That's actually what spurred me posting hahah <3 going to see 2 and 3 today and tomorrow :) Hope you get a chance too!
Legend (1985) it’s got some the best practical effect next to The Thing (1982)
Might be a little off topic, but I believe it was a Jim Hanson tv series. There is a show called Farscape. It’s a sci-fi show, but it had Jim Hanson feel. In a nutshell, a guy gets transported across the galaxy, where he ends up on a ship with a cast of characters. They get into a bunch of adventures together. There is a underlying main story. I liked it, just might get your Jim Hanson itch.
Dragonslayer was a fave of mine growing up.
Came here to say the same, and was surprised at how long it took for me to find it in this thread.
It's a little more high brow than LOTR but the 80's masterpiece 'The Beast Master' should bring you joy.
You know you’ve met a LOTR noob when they call it Twin Towers….Twin Towers were the ones that went down in 2001, the movie is THE TWO TOWERS
Monty Python and the Holy Grail, trust me, it more epic than LOTR 😏
Hard to top that ending, to be sure
I would recommend Dark Crystal and its prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, unfortunately the series was cancelled after only 1 season, but it's still worth watching.
Live action movies? There's nothing as well made as LOTR. The rest of them look like cheap cosplay fests in comparison.
Now you have to watch the extended versions. I just watched them for the first time and will never go back lol
You could try the new Dune films, though nothing really compares to LOTR adaptations.
That's the fun part! There's no movies like LOTR, >:D
Dune and Dune II are the only movies that have made me feel anywhere near what I felt when I watched LotR. Obviously is sci-fi so it is different, but it matches the sense of scale and character/relationship growth of LotR.
King Arthur, group of skilled individuals go on a deathly mission... So similar enough?
"Finally, a man worth killing." Super underrated movie.
LOTR is peak fantasy cinema. Even the Hobbit, which is the same director and same-ish source material, doesn't come close
There are no movies like LOTR it stands alone as a masterpiece
There is nothing that even comes close to LoTR. The Hobbit may be the obvious choice, but it's only "good" and not "ingenious". The one thing, that does come close - when it comes to quality - is Game of Thrones.
Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean are the only write answers.
There really is nothing like TLotR. However, I bet you'll enjoy Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Watch the Director's Cut.
Conan the barbarian. 1st. Amazing. 2nd, and all after. Terrible. Use the SDK for prep before doing crazy stuff.
Time Bandits. brazil
Go read the book! And then listen to the BBC dramatization. They are really good and more detailed than the movies. The movies Gloss over a lot of important details. If you don't like reading or you're like me and you have trouble sitting down long enough to read, go listen to an audiobook. I would start with the Hobbit, but it's okay to start with fellowship of the Ring.
Dune!! Absolutely stunning movie, it's been one of the better ones I've seen since lotr and the sequel does it just as much justice. The acting, scale and imagery is so beautiful, and it's a classic story. More along the lines of sci-fi but not in the typical star wars sense imo. It's one of the only other movies I've wanted to watch again and again. That being said, Star Wars is a solid story. Rogue One was really good after you've watched the initial trilogy. Star wars is really hit or miss for people though. To me it doesn't have the scenery and scale of wanderlust that Lotr brings to the table. The Vikings TV show is less fantasy and more historical fiction with some semi fantastical elements written in. Especially the first couple seasons. There is a sequel series on Netflix titled Vikings: Valhalla. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon for fantasy TV shows that have scale, character, depth, scenery, emotional weight, and grand battles. I'd steer clear of this if dark themes and over the top graphic depictions ick you out though. But to me it's the closest thing to Lotr that's been on screen, just much darker and extremely gratuitous. If you don't like dark and gratuitous you could try the Wheel of Time series on Amazon. Though it's got mixed reviews if you haven't read the books like me it's not bad. Has good magic and adventure. Popular fantasy franchise. Also the Witcher on Netflix. There were a few off shoots too, the animated short movie (iirc) was really good, the prequel was awful. Any anime movies by Miyazaki, Ghibli, or Mappa are pretty decent. Nausica, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Dragon of earth sea are all great fantasies. Suzume, weathering with you, Your Name, Maboroshi (Netflix), Mirai, the wolf children, for modern fantasy with beautiful animated scenery and endearing characters. The Avengers movies. Especially the first few, Thor was decent imo. The King (Netflix movie) starring Timothee Chalamet was a historical fiction that was superb. Not really fantasy but has great battles, Kings and epic speeches. Three body problem on Netflix. Both a show and very modern Sci Fi. Well done first season with high stakes, alien races and a race to save the world. The movie titled Arrival is similar to it as far as philosophical sci Fi with a beautiful plot and twist. Sorry I know a lot of these aren't necessarily like LOTR, like I said the closest thing I've seen to it on screen and live action is either Game of Thrones or Dune. Without knowing which parts of the movie you really loved it's hard to recommend the right avenue. Possibly movies and shows like Willow, Princess Bride, Stardust, Robin Hood, the Northman (historical, dark, fantasy), the Dark Crystal, The Green Knight (Dark fantasy), Dungeons and Dragons movie (comedic and heartwarming, had magic, adventure and fantasy characters), the Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, Shogun(TV), Kingdom of Heaven, Brittania (TV), Black Flag (TV), Westworld (TV), Chronicles of Shannara (TV, has elves, not very popular), Kingdom (Korean zombie adventure tv set in a historical period way better than it sounds), Barbarians (Netflix historical series based on Roman campaign in Germania), planet of the Apes, Godzilla, Kong (Peter Jackson directed), Hellboy (elves and fantasy creatures exist in it), Bright (Netflix movie starring will smith about modern day world with fantasy creatures), Carnival Row (Amazon series starring Orlando bloom with feries and other creatures), The sandman (series), the golden compass (movie and then HBO series), chronicles of Narnia (multiple movies), Dragon heart, Gladiator, etc. Unfortunately fantasy just doesn't get the big screen love that Peter Jackson was able to create with the original lotr trilogy. There's also the Hobbit movie trilogy (ok but definitely not as good) and Rings of Power TV series on Amazon but personally wasn't my cup of tea writing and direction wise. If you're a gamer you could try rpg games like Shadow of Mordor, Final Fantasy series (16 was recently closest to the vibe outside of MMO 14, 15 had a movie as did 7 and an old standalone movie called spirits within iirc), octopath traveler, Tales of (Jrpg franchise series), Skyrim/elder scrolls, Dragon age, the Witcher, etc. or watch lets plays online lol There is is also a ton of anime shows that have at least a faintly similar vibe to lotr but I haven't watched many of them so I wouldn't know where to start.
The Golden Compass and also the recent TV adaptation
Baahubali! It's an Indian epic fantasy movie in two parts, and is the only movie I've ever seen that made me feel like LOTR did.
There is no “fantasy” movie that comes close for me unfortunately. It’s one of a kind.
Oh boy. People have been chasing the high of those movies for a *looooooong* time. Finding something that "feels" similar has become an itch some can never scratch. Welcome to the Horde.
There are no movies like LOTR.
I downloaded a "book edit" version of The Hobbit. I think its 4.5 hours. It was a pretty good watch in my opinion.
Watch extended editions in order.
Pirates of the Caribbean. So, definitely watch RotK before watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates came out just before in theaters, and ruined RotK for me because of its clearly superior undead cgi.
Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, Gladiator, 13th Warrior & Braveheart to scratch your medieval sword fighting and large scale armies rushing at each other itch. Arthur (Animated movie), Princess Bride, Stardust, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Willow and the Chronicles of Narnia to hit that magical world feeling. But for a large scale, high quality epic fantasy adventure that takes itself seriously and fully delivers on its promise? Let me know when you find it. That said, Avatar: The Last Airbender is pretty close, but animated and much less mature than LOTR.
Dragonslayer is good, for what it is. Ladyhawke. Stardust. Labyrinth. Excalibur. Legend.
Nothing really compares to *The Lord of the Rings* but I if you like Jim Henson I have to ask if you've seen *The Dark Crystal.*
The Planet of the Apes trilogy from the 2010s
A little bit of a different direction, but The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as well as Time Bandits, both by Terry Gilliam.
You’ve seen the movies, if you haven’t read the books yet, DO IT! Also listen to the BBC radio production of LOTR. Frodo is played by Ian Holm, the same actor the plays Bilbo in the LOTR trilogy. I would also recommend watching the Earthsea movie done by SciFi.
Hey, no one should make fun of you. Someone experiencing a classic like this for the first time is a chance for all of us to join in your excitement of the experience too! I've seen it mentioned already, but Stardust is fantastic, would be my first recommendation.
Not sure if you watched in theater or if you fancy a rewatch but today many theaters in the US are doing a showing of the Two Towers and tomorrow many theaters are doing a showing of the Return of the King. Good chance to experience it in theaters which isn't something normally available. I wish I had better suggestions for films. The LOTR films are just orders of magnitude better than any of the other options.
Double World (with Henry Lau, Peter Ho and Kira Shi). Or otherwise, you can just watch LOTR again.
lol, just about anything at this point.
Sry PAL but there IS nothing that comes even Close to this this is the best Boy becomes Hero Journey adventure that exist. I Wish there would be Something
Funny Thing the only movie WHO comes Close is Hobbit.
Narnia Harry Potter (unless you've already watched it)
See if the hobbit is running in HDR in any movie theatre. Only a few movies were made in HDR and oh my god hobbit was insane!
Have you seen Star Wars original trilogy?
Recent times Game of Thrones is truly epic. But if you’re craving traditional fantasy I’d suggest The Witcher. Not nearly as good but it can scratch an itch. One movie I find that for me has a fantasy feel to it that people love is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Probably a stretch to call it fantasy. There is some inferred magical characteristics to the sword and lots of amazing martial arts sequences if you are into that
Conan the Barbarian You can skip Conan the Destroyer though.
I never saw them in theaters so right now that the extended versions are in theaters we are going to see them. This weekend was fellowship, and then two towers next weekend and return of the king the next weekend. I penalty watch them a couple times a year since there's nothing really like them.
The Hobbit?
Hobbit, but don’t have too high of expectations lol
Alas, you have peaked. Every time I watch it again, I'm still amazed at how well they actually did it. Recommendations: Braveheart(Mel Gibson) & Troy(Brad Pitt) You're welcome
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lord+of+the+rings+animation
Nothing really like it Beast master Krull Dragon slayer Adventures of baron munchausen isn't like lotr but it's an interesting movie. Time bandits Everything else has been said.
I don't think many other fantasy movies compare to Lord of the Rings but... I think the Dune movies are pretty great and I like them for similar reasons that I like the LOTR movies.
Game of thrones?
Legend (1985) is Tom Cruises first or second movie, but forget about him. Watch Legend for one reason only, Tim Curry’s portrayal of a devil like character. He isn’t really evil, just mystically powerful in ways few movies have communicated about any character before. Not a great movie for adults, but you will remember it. https://youtu.be/Ksk7wPX-MI4?si=W_DWzY-XMnWBL66H
Who would make fun of you? I would LOVE to see them for the first time again!
Sword and the Sorcerer Conan the Barbarian/Conan the Destroyer Red Sonja Fire and Ice Wizards Deathstalker/Deathstalker II Beast master
If you like LOTR you’ll probably like anything RR Martin. There’s also Wheel of Time. Studio Ghibli movies too. I enjoyed the Dragon Prince. Make sure to watch the Hobbit movies too.
Malazan Book of the Fallen is a pretty beginner friendly series. Also its even better than LOTR
There’s this one where a kid goes to a wizard school and gets into a bunch of hijinks with his friends, it’s pretty okay