Peter Jackson might’ve directed one of the most iconic trilogies in cinema history, but when it comes to picking his favorite Lord of the Rings movie, he goes against the crowd, and the critics seem to agree. While The Return of the King usually steals the limelight with its Oscar haul and grand finale vibes, this movie quietly edged it out on Rotten Tomatoes. And guess what? That just so happens to be Jackson’s top pick, too.
With its darker tone, deeper character arcs, and the unforgettable Battle of Helm’s Deep, it’s no shock this middle chapter stands tallest in the director’s eyes.
Peter Jackson’s favorite LOTR movie is The Two Towers, and it has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score too
The Return of the King may have swept the Oscars, but The Two Towers quietly holds a different crown, the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of the trilogy. And even the Director Peter Jackson agrees. When asked by Letterboxd if he had a favorite, Jackson replied:
I can’t watch my own films…I just, I mean, one day… I sort of enjoy it more as more time goes by, so one day I’ll watch them again. I hope you enjoy ’em!
The Two Towers, I think. But if I see them again I might have a totally different one.
Though he added that a rewatch might change his answer, his pick still speaks volumes. Released in 2002, The Two Towers was the darkest, most chaotic installment and maybe the most daring.
It tossed the Fellowship into separate corners of Middle-earth, introduced terrifying enemies like Saruman’s Uruk-hai army, and pulled off the Battle of Helm’s Deep, one of cinema’s most jaw-dropping war sequences ever filmed.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though. Jackson and his writing team, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Stephen Sinclair, layered the grit with weird, wonderful character arcs. From Théoden’s haunting possession to Gollum’s duality, it was peak Tolkien chaos and character gold.
Yet, choosing a favorite LOTR film is like choosing a favorite star in a constellation. The Fellowship of the Ring brought the magic and set the tone. The Return of the King delivered the emotional payoff. But The Two Towers was Peter Jackson going full throttle with scale, shadow, and soul.
As Jackson hinted, “favorite” may shift with every rewatch. Still, the one with the highest score might just be the one that hit hardest, both critically and creatively.
Peter Jackson returns to produce The Hunt for Gollum with Andy Serkis directing and starring
Andy Serkis is heading back to Middle-earth, and this time, he’s calling the shots. The Lord of the Rings alum is set to direct and star in The Hunt for Gollum, a new feature diving deeper into one of Tolkien’s most tragic and twisted characters.
While promoting Animal Farm, Serkis gave Collider a taste of what’s coming:
We’re very early on in the process…We’ve been talking about the film over the course of the last year. We’re about to start a period of prep in the next few months or so. We will be shooting in the early to mid-part of next year, I guess, and then it’ll be as long as it takes to shoot, which — it’s a sizable movie — all ready for a December 2027 release.
I’m incredibly excited to go back and work with my friends and family in New Zealand and actually do something which is, I think, going to be surprising, and yet very much part of the lore and the feel of the trilogy. The sensibility of it will feel, I think, close to that, and yet we’re investigating in greater depth the character formerly known as Smeagol, but mostly known as Gollum.
Backed by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, the film aims to strike the same emotional tone and visual grandeur fans remember from the original trilogy. Serkis teased that audiences will get a more intimate look at the former Smeagol.
The Hunt for Gollum reportedly begins filming in early 2026 and drops in December 2027.
Watch The Lord of the Rings movies on Prime Video.
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