The Lord of the Rings book, written by J.R.R. Tolkien was released as a children’s book in 1937. The very first Lord of the Rings movie was released in 2001 entitled Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings. For the purpose of the article, we’ll be focusing on this movie. It was the start of a fantastic franchise of movies. So Where was Lord of the Rings filmed? Let’s check out the story first.
Where Was Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Filmed?
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was shot entirely in New Zealand. Director Peter Jackson chose to shoot all three movies in his native country, taking advantage of its diverse kinds of landscapes and climates. He also used many local crew members who knew the area well and could help him get from location to location quickly. The Lord of the Rings locations included some of the most stunning landscapes of New Zealand, such as Mount Ngauruhoe, Matamata and Queenstown.
Full List of The Fellowship of the Ring Filming Locations
- Fort Dorset, Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand (Inn of the Prancing Pony’s exteriors)
- Hutt Valley, Wellington, New Zealand (exteriors of Moria)
- Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, Tasman Region, New Zealand (exteriors of Moria)
- Te Anau, Southland District, Southland, New Zealand (the Fellowship’s river journey)
- South Island, New Zealand (waterfalls scenes of Rivendell)
- Whakapapa Skifield, Mount Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park, New Zealand (Mordor prologue scene)
- Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand (Gardens of Isengard)
- Otaki Gorge Road, Kapiti Coast District, North Island, New Zealand (the Shire woods)
- Keeling Farm, Manakau, Horowhenua District, North Island, New Zealand (Bucklebury Ferry)
- Takaka Hill, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (forest near Bree)
- Waitarere Forest, Horowhenua District, North Island, New Zealand (Trollshaws)
- Mount Olympus, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (Eregion)
- Kepler Mire, Te Anau, South Island, New Zealand (Dead Marshes)
- Lake Alta, The Remarkables, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (Dimrill Dale)
- Mount Owen, Tasman district, Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (Dimrill Dale)
- Upper Waiau River, Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand (River Anduin)
- Paradise, Glenorchy, Otago, New Zealand (Parth Galen)
- Closeburn, Southern Lakes, South Island, New Zealand (Amon Hen)
- Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand
- Waikato, New Zealand
- Glenorchy, Otago, New Zealand
- Arrowtown, Otago, New Zealand
- Wanaka, Otago, New Zealand
- Otago, New Zealand
- Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand
- Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand
- Southland District, Southland, New Zealand
- Southland, New Zealand
- New Zealand
- Arrowtown Recreational Reserve, Arrowtown, Otago, New Zealand (Ford of Bruinen)
- Camperdown Studios, Camperdown Road, Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand
- Canterbury, New Zealand (Edoras)
- Fernside, Featherston, Wairarapa, New Zealand (Lothlorien)
- Hinuera Valley, Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand (Hobbiton)
- Kaitoke Regional Park, Wellington Region, New Zealand (Rivendell, River Anduin)
- Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand (Amon Hen)
- Mavora Lakes, Southland, New Zealand (Amon Hen)
- Milford Sound, Fiordland National Park, Southland, New Zealand
- Paradise, Glenorchy, Otago, New Zealand (Lothlorien, Amon Hen)
- Poet’s Corner, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand (River Anduin)
- Port Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand (Weathertop)
- Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand (Ford of Bruinen, River Anduin, Amon Hen)
- Rangipo Desert, Waiouru, Tongariro National Park, Central Plateau, New Zealand
- Rangitikei River, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand (River Anduin)
- Tarras, Wanaka, Otago, New Zealand (Ford of Bruinen)
- Tongariro National Park, Central Plateau, New Zealand (Mordor)
- Twizel, Canterbury, New Zealand
- Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
- Wellington, New Zealand (Bree)
What Was The Fellowship of the Ring All About?
This movie is the first installment in the Lord of the Rings franchise. The story takes place in Middle Earth where Elves and Dwarves live. Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th birthday and leaves on one last adventure. He leaves all his possessions behind for his nephew, Frodo, which also includes a mysterious ring that contains very special powers.
When Gandalf drops by, Frodo shows him the ring. Gandalf realizes that this is the ring that has the power to destroy mankind and must be destroyed. In order to destroy the ring, Frodo must travel to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it. Along the way he encounters both friend and foe.
Who Was In The Fellowship of the Ring?
This movie had an all-star cast with Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Sean Bean, Alan Howard, Sean Astin, Sala Baker, Billy Boyd, Andy Serkis, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, and many more.
Who Directed Lord of The Rings?
The movie was directed by Peter Jackson. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson wrote the screenplay. Jackson is best known for his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and also directed King Kong (2005), The Lovely Bones (2009) and The Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014).
Did Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Receive Any Awards?
This was a highly successful movie that grossed $898.2 million worldwide with an estimated budget of $93 million. It was nominated for many awards across many categories.
Some of the awards include the British Academy Film Awards for Best Special Visual Effects, Saturn Awards for Best Fantasy Film, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian McKellen).
Technical Information
The movie is quite a long one and runs for almost three hours (178 minutes). It was filmed using a number of different cameras with the Zeiss Ultra Prime and Angenieux Optimo lenses. The cameras used were the Arricam ST, Arriflex 35 III, Arriflex 435, Arriflex 535, Arriflex 535B, Mitchell cameras, Movicam Compact and Moviecam SL.
Fun Facts About Lord of The Rings
- David Bowie was interested in playing the role of Elrond but his celebrity held him back.
- Peter Jackson originally wanted the Aragorn character to be played by either Russell Crowe or Daniel Day-Lewis but both turned it down.
- J.R.R. Tolkien signed the rights away in 1968 for $15,000.
- Twenty-eight Hobbit holes were built for the Shire and each one had to be different.
- 1,800 Hobbit feet were made for the movie.
- Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins) never worked on location. All his scenes were done against a green screen.
Can You Visit the Set of Lord of The Rings?
Most everything was torn down after the movie was completed. However, the village of Hobbiton was turned into a museum and you can certainly visit it. Walking tours are available.
Lord of the Rings Box Office Details:
- Lord of The Rings Budget: $93,000,000
- Opening weekend: $47,211,490
- Gross (US & Canada): $316,115,420
- Gross (World): $898,204,420
What is New Zealand Famous For?
Aside from New Zealand’s connection to the Lord of the Rings franchise, you may be interested to learn that only 5% of the population is human. The rest of the population belongs to animals. New Zealand is also famous for rugby, sheep, kiwi fruit, Manuka honey, its indigenous Maori culture, and beautiful landscape.
Unique Places in New Zealand
There are so many beautiful places to visit in New Zealand, it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. So here are a few unique places you might consider:
- Motueka Saltwater Baths, Nelson Tasman
- Oparara Arches West Coast
- Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds
- Castlepoint, Wairarapa
- Stewart Island, Southland Marokopa Falls, Waikato
Things to Do in New Zealand
Even if you aren’t a Lord of the Rings fan, you can still enjoy a tour of the Hobbiton village. Other things to do include:
- Hike through Abel Tasman National Park
- See the volcano at White Island, Whakaari
- Visit Pohutu, the biggest active geyser
- New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute
- Check out the Glowworm Caves
These are just a few of the many things you can do in New Zealand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit where Lord of the Rings was filmed?
Yes. You can visit the village of Hobbiton which was turned into a museum. Visitors can take a walking tour through the Hobbiton movie set, the Hobbit hole of Bag End, and the Green Dragon Inn.
Was any of The Lord of the Rings filmed in Ireland?
The Lord of the Rings was filmed entirely in New Zealand.
What forest was Lord of the Rings filmed in?
Lake Wakatipu was used in The Fellowship of the Ring for scenes in Lothlorien, the ancient forest of Middle Earth.
Final Thoughts
If you plan to visit New Zealand, make sure you have plenty of time and plenty of money. New Zealand has a very high cost of living when compared to other countries. Take into consideration the travel time to get there and time zone changes. You’ll probably need a few days just to get over your jet lag.
Summer in New Zealand is between December and March. You can expect nice long, warm days giving you extra time to enjoy the country.
Have you ever visited New Zealand? What was your experience? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
