hobbit journey map

• Time vs. Distance
• Six Degrees of Sauron
• Encyclopedia
• Character list
• Keyword frequency
• Character mentions
• Sentiment analysis
• Chapter lengths
• Infographics
• Android app
• Error 404 page
• All projects

Welcome to Middle-Earth

Welcome to Arda Maps. This project comes up with the 3 most important ages of J.R.R. Tolkien's works.

But there is even much more on top of these high-detailed maps.

Thanks for anyone who was involved in this project. For more ideas and feedback check out our Forum .

Best performance with Chrome (36+)

and all implemented features successfully tested with Firefox (16+)

About Arda Maps

Arda Maps is a non-profit, Open Source, community driven and educational project.

This project is not associated with Middle-earth Enterprises nor the Tolkien Estates.

We come up with 3 Tolkien ages , 882 characters , 796 places , 1624 timeline events and more then 500 licenced pictures to a complete new presentation level of detail.

The aim is that Tolkien readers can use this website to explore the fictive universe, Tolkien lovely filled with life. So we created the maps of the most important ages. These maps can be zoomed, dragged and each one shows some of the most important journeys, timeline events and much more!

All maps are based on the The Atlas of Middle-earth from Karen Wynn Fonstad but extended with own ideas and small changes based on different other official maps.

If you have any idea or feedback, just let me know:

• Forum: Forum
• Skype: kwoxer
• E-Mail: [email protected]

The Creator

This project is created by Curtis Mosters who is writing his master-thesis at the Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

As a big Tolkien fan in my mind his books are really outstanding. But when I was e.g. some times ago reading the Silmarillion I was often asking myself: "Where is this place?" and "How big might be a specific difference between two places?". So I was searching around if there is any website which is showing the whole maps that can be zoomed without loosing any small lovely detail. But unfortunately there was nothing like that in the web except lots of static drawings and most of them were in low qualy as well.

This was the moment where I actually was the first time thinking about creating something like Arda Maps.

I also want to thank Prof. Alexander Urban who made this project possible and who helped a lot with his media and design background knowledge.

Special Thanks are going to Sabrina Wiese . She helped very much in creating the concept of Arda Maps and supported me where it was possible. Without her this website and many more beautiful things would have never happened to me. I thank you so much for every second you spent with me. This page is dedicated to you.

Delimitation

Arda Maps is in contextual terms based on the Tolkien Gateway .

This Wiki is used because it's the most complete English Wiki about the whole Tolkien universe. It also has a well-defined structure and was most recommended by the Tolkien community when I started Arda Maps.

Arda Maps can contain mistakes like wrong dates or any other information. This might be due to the manual copying process of the data. As it will be Open Source anyone will be able to fix issues in the future like in a usual Wiki. Meanwhile you can send issues and bugs on our Forum . Thank you very much.

We are also NOT showing ALL information because our aim is to visualise data especially the maps, timelines and relationships. So in order to go deeper we really recommend reading all the different Tolkien books and refering to the great Tolkien Gateway.

Open Source

Arda Maps is completely Open Source and a community driven project driven by YOU!

You can now do several things to improve this project or just to get an idea how it has been done:

• Website | all files used on this website
• Database | exploring the database (login with arda:arda)
• QGIS | topographical data of the ages
• Forum | found a mistake somewhere, please mention it in our forum

Arda Maps is using the following main technologies:

• QGIS | georeferencing and map creation in general
• D3.js with topojson | visualising map and family tree
• OrientDB | graph database

Donate and Share

Arda Maps is a non-profit project and driven by YOU, the community!

We have the intention to help readers so that those can find the information they need. Keeping this website alive costs some bucks. We really appreciate if you like Arda Maps, please consider a donation . This ONLY helps to improve the server and paying costs.

Also feel free to share this project anywhere you like ( Facebook ).

On our Facebook site you can also see when we update something. Stay tuned!

Ages of Arda

Arda Maps is created to offer high-detailed maps about the most important ages of Middle-earth for free. It might never be complete due to missing official map pieces or sometimes unclear definitions made by J.R.R. Tolkien. There are way more Ages mentioned by Tolkien but most of them are having very less data to show like 'Years of the Trees' or the 'Forth Age'.

Until there is not enough data about them we are here just showing these 3 main ages right now:

• First Age (Túrin, Tuor, Beren)
• Second Age (Númenor)
• Third Age (Hobbit, Lord of the Rings)

The ages are fully zoom- & drag-able. And much more...

Ooops - no content here

We are really sorry but the page your requested page does not exist.

If you came via direct link please report this as an issue . Thank you. =)

{{illustrator.name}}

This work is copyrighted and owned by {{illustrator.name}} . However, permission has kindly been granted, by the copyright holder, to use this file on the not-for-profit Arda Maps website.

Details of the copyright holder:

• Name: {{illustrator.name}}
• Website: {{illustrator.name}}'s website
• Website: {{illustrator.name}}'s {{illustrator.website2text}}
• Permission for use on Arda Maps

Ted Nasmith

The artwork incorporated herein is copyrighted by Ted Nasmith . Mr. Nasmith's permission has been granted to use these images. Arda Maps is a not-for-profit project.

• Ted Nasmith's official website: www.tednasmith.com

Ulla Thynell

This work is copyrighted and owned by Ulla Thynell . However, permission has kindly been granted, by the copyright holder, to use this file on the not-for-profit Arda Maps website.

• Name: Ulla Thynell
• Website: Ulla Thynell's website
• Website: Ulla Thynell's Prints shop
• Website: Ulla Thynell's Facebook page
• Website: Ulla Thynell's Tumblr art blog
• Website: Ulla Thynell's DeviantART gallery

Complete image portfolio Creatures: Creatures (Family Tree / Ancestry): Locations: Events:

Family Tree

*coloured green offer more info

Arda Maps loading...

The content of Arda Maps is now loading.

This can take some time...

Maps of Middle-earth

The road goes ever on and on…

Get the Podcast!

Use these maps to help you understand the location of events in JRR Tolkien’s books, and be able to get a grasp of the important locations throughout Middle-earth.

From the rise of Arnor and Gondor, to the arrival of the Wizards, to the War of the Ring.

From the destruction of Beleriand, to the fall of Númenor, to Sauron’s defeat in the Last Alliance.

From the creation of Arda, to the awakening of Elves, to the Wars of Beleriand, to the defeat of Morgoth.

The Third Age

Map of middle-earth.

Use this map if you’re reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings ! All the important locations are easily visible

Click here to download!

Use these maps of Middle-earth to get a better understanding of the location of events in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Tolkien's other works.

Map of The Shire

A great companion when you’re reading through the first 5 chapters of The Lord of the Rings or the start of The Hobbit .

Thorin’s Map

The map drawn by Thrór and his son Thráin, illustrating the Lonely Mountain and its secret door. The Moon-letters on the map read: “Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the key-hole.”

Thorin's Map

Map of Misty Mountains

Map of the Misty Mountains

Going through Moria with Frodo? Or have you read Bilbo’s escape from Gollum? Use this map! (map is from the highly regarded Atlas of Middle-earth )

Tolkien’s Map of Mirkwood

Tolkien’s original map of Mirkwood, showing Bilbo’s path through the forest.

Map of Mirkwood

Map of the Wilderland

Tolkien’s Map of the Wilderland

A more detailed map drawn by Tolkien showing more of Mirkwood and its surrounding features.

Map of Gondor

Wonderfully detailed map showing Minas Tirith, Osgiliath , Rohan, and most of the locations found in The Two Towers and Return of the King.

Beleriand and Middle-earth Map Overlaid

1st Age/3rd Age Map Overlay

A map that shows how the 1st age ( Silmarillion ) map of Middle-earth coincides with the 3rd age (Lord of the Rings) map!

The Second Age

Second age of arda.

An overview of all of Middle-earth, including Númenor, the new coastline following the destruction of Beleriand, and the Sea of Helcar drained through the Great Gulf. (map is from the highly regarded Atlas of Middle-earth )

Second Age of Arda - Karen Wynn Fonstad

Map of Numenor

Map of Númenor

The island raised out of the sea by the Valar as a home for the Edain after the War of Wrath. (map is from the highly regarded Atlas of Middle-earth )

Tolkien’s Map of Númenor

The island raised out of the sea by the Valar as a home for the Edain after the War of Wrath.

Númenor by Christopher Tolkien

JRR Tolkiens Map of Numenor

Tolkien’s Rough Map of Númenor

The first age, map of beleriand.

The region of Northwest Middle-earth, home to the tales of Gondolin, Beren and Lúthien, the children of Húrin, and other great stories from The Silmarillion .

Map of Beleriand during the First Age

A map that shows how the 1st age (Silmarillion) map of Middle-earth coincides with the 3rd age (Lord of the Rings) map!

The Realms of the Noldor

Tolkien’s map highlighting the areas of rule for Finrod, Fingolfin, Fingon, Angrod, Aegnor, Maedhros , Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Amrod, Amras, Círdan, and Thingol.

Map of Realms of the Noldor

Map of Southern Beleriand

Includes Tol Galen, Doriath, Ossiriand, and other vital locations south of the realm of the Noldor. (map is from the highly regarded Atlas of Middle-earth )

Map of Beleriand – Color

Map of Beleriand - Color

Map of Beleriand - Atlas of Middle-earth

Full Beleriand Map

A stitched-together composition of all of Beleriand (map is from the highly regarded Atlas of Middle-earth ).

Privacy Overview

Collection of Lord of the Rings Maps

Transport yourself to the magical realms of J.R.R. Tolkien with our collection of beautifully illustrated Middle-earth maps. These printable PDF maps let you explore the settings of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in intricate detail.

See the whole of Middle-earth unfolded before you on our map of the Northwest. It shows all the key locations from the books and films, from the comforting Shire to the ominous lands of Mordor and beyond.

Follow Bilbo’s adventure across Wilderland with our detailed map of The Hobbit setting. Track his epic journey from Bag End to the Lonely Mountain and back.

Join Frodo and the Fellowship on their quest to destroy the One Ring. Our Lord of the Rings map allows you to trace their travels through places like Rivendell, Moria and Lothlorien.

Whether you’re a Tolkien fan or just love fantasy cartography, our printable Middle-earth maps offer an immersive way to explore these legendary realms. The ideal resource for bringing your literary journeys to life.

Screen Rant

'the hobbit': get lost in this interactive map of middle-earth.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Denzel Washington's Lost Role In 2023 Thriller Prevented A Perfect 30-Year Reunion From Happening

Mamma mia 3's meryl streep problem was already solved in here we go again, alien: romulus' new franchise twist risks reviving prometheus' biggest criticism.

We're crawling closer and closer to the premiere of Peter Jackson's second entry in his trilogy-sized adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (subtitled The Desolation of Smaug for the screen), which means an inundation of promotional material to herald its imminent arrival - a new trailer , TV spots , countless featurettes , and so much more. If your anticipation for the film is at a high, there are plenty of outlets for sating your excitement between now and December.

But when it comes to massive, global blockbusters of this magnitude, there's rarely such a thing as "too much", and with that philosophy in mind, an interactive map of Middle Earth has gone up online, providing a brand new time sink for dedicated to both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings loyalists and casual fans of the joint saga as well.

__________________________________

VIEW: Middle-earth Interactive Map

___________________________________

Whether you're a die-hard admirer of all things Tolkien, both on the page and in the multiplex, or someone who's liable to get lost in the massive world that remains his lasting legacy even today, you should find plenty of content within  Journey to Middle-earth to keep yourself busy up until The Desolation of Smaug 's release next month. Do be aware, though: the map has been programmed specifically for use with Chrome, and even now remains a work in progress, so make sure your browser is up to date.

As the film approaches opening day, tide yourself over with the odd character bio, behind the scenes stuff, and even some mini-games; you can play catch-up, too, if you need a refresher on the events of An Unexpected Journey or if you're just now being introduced to the franchise. There's something for everybody, in other words, no matter how deep your love for the story runs.

Feel like taking a trip to Dol Goldur, Sauron's decrepit, haunted fortress in Mirkwood? Prefer a jaunt to Rivendell, the seat of Elrond's power? Or do you want to revisit the three trolls that caused Bilbo and his dwarven company so much trouble? Click away, and go nuts - they're all present and available for your viewing pleasure.

They're not the only hot spots of note, though. You may notice a few locations on the map - Lake Town, the Lonely Mountain, and Thranduil's Hall - which are currently locked off and inaccessible. All of these should open up as the days go by, providing an even greater wealth of information for us to pore over, though if you're spoiler-sensitive, you're probably better off ignoring them entirely; those are as-yet undiscovered places in the film series, and The Desolation of Smaug promises to take us to each one.

We'll just have to patiently wait as they're unveiled over the coming weeks. But for the time being, this is a pretty cool bit of geek baiting for everybody who thinks of Middle-earth as their second home.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens in theaters December 13th, 2013.

Source: Hobbit.com

• Books concerning maps
• 1995 publications
• 2010 publications
• Secondary lit. published by HarperCollins

There and Back Again: The Map of Tolkien's The Hobbit

• View history

There and Back Again: The Map of Tolkien's The Hobbit is a collaboration of writer Brian Sibley and Tolkien-illustrator John Howe , presenting an enhanced map of J.R.R. Tolkien 's novel The Hobbit , along with commentary by Sibley on the novel's plot and settings.

A paperback edition was released n 1995, and hardcover in 2010.

External links [ ]

See also [ ].

• The Maps of Tolkien's Middle-earth
• West of the Mountains, East of the Sea: The Map of Tolkien's Beleriand and the Lands to the North
• Lord of the Rings

Compare the time and distance travelled in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

May 31st, 2014 by Demosthenes

I am very happy to reveal this interactive distance vs time chart of the journeys by Bilbo and Frodo in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It contains information about each day. I hope you will find it interesting.

Very cool stuff.

Over his entire journey from Bag End to Mt Doom, Frodo travels approximately 1,800 miles in 185 days. That’s an eminently achievable average of 9.73 miles each day. However, he does spend a great deal of time recuperating in both Rivendell and Lorien — and that drags that average down.

The 27-day stretch from Bag End to Rivendell is perhaps more representative of Frodo’s normal travelling speed via “shank’s pony”. There, he and his fellow hobbits average a much more brisk 16.9 miles each day. Not too shabby — and probably very, very tiring with a full pack!

Bilbo, on the other hand, travels a total of 950 miles in 172 days — an average of just 5.52 miles per day. And the Company makes the 397-mile trek from Bag End to Rivendell in 39 days at a more leisurely average of 10.17 miles per day.

Click the image below to check it all out for yourself.

If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to [email protected]. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.

• Fellowship of the Ring
• Green Books
• Hobbit Book
• Return of the King
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Two Towers
• The Library
• The Tale of Honour
• Message Boards
• Tolkien Discord
• Barliman’s Chat
• Happy Hobbit
• Advertising
• Privacy Policy
• TORn Archive

Account Options

How Far Did Frodo & Sam Walk in The Lord of the Rings?

• J. R. R. Tolkien had a great attention to detail in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which allows fans to actually track the distances that the Fellowship, especially Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, traveled.
• Frodo and Sam traveled over a thousand miles from the Shire to Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, over multiple landscapes and terrains.
• Thanks to Tolkien's world-building, fans also know that Frodo and Sam's journey took a much shorter time than many people might assume due to the great distance.

Frodo and Sam's journey across Middle-earth is a long and physically exhausting trek over some dangerous territory. And part of what makes their adventure so compelling is the simplicity of it, as their goal is to make it from one point to another before Sauron's power grows too strong, all while avoiding detection. This walk takes many grueling months for the two Hobbits to complete, and the total distance they walk throughout The Lord of the Rings is equally impressive. Through craggy rocks, flat marshes, caves of giant spiders and the slopes of Mount Doom, Frodo and Sam walk along hundreds of miles. And this is all while they try to avoid armies of Orcs and Sauron's legions spreading across Middle-earth. Then, of course, there's the most difficult task of all -- carrying the One Ring . It may appear like a light trinket, but what it houses is a painful burden for even the strongest minds.

Author J.R.R. Tolkien had a strong eye for detail, and took care to work out many of the logistical necessities of Frodo's journey, such how far he would have to go and how many days he would have to do it. Thanks to information in the Appendices of his celebrated trilogy, as well as a map provided in most printings of the text, it's possible to chart the exact time and distance traveled in each stage of Frodo's journey.

Updated on March 22, 2024 by Robert Vaux: The wonderful maps from Tolkien's various published works let readers see exactly where the protagonists travel in Middle-earth. That in turn helps better paint the picture of a huge fantasy world -- full of its own kingdoms, landmarks and history -- and bring epic events such as the War of the Ring to life. The article has been expanded to include new details on Frodo and Sam's journey in terms of distance traveled. It has also been updated to match CBR's current style guidelines.

How Fans Can Measure Distance in The Lord of the Rings

The lord of the rings: merry and pippin's best quotes.

Tolkien was a famous nature lover who disdained modern conveniences, and his proclivities are reflected in the text of The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbits, for instance, are portrayed as quiet farmers and country gentry, while Elves exist in harmony with the natural world around them. On a subtler level, both of his major narratives -- The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings -- are essentially long walks: the former from Bag End to the Lonely Mountain, the latter from Bag End to Mount Doom. The prospect gave the author ample opportunity to explore the countryside of Middle-earth, and the novels are filled with lush descriptions of the trees, hills, valleys, and underground caverns of the Hobbits' journeys.

That came with a huge amount of detail, as Tolkien built up the world of Middle-earth itself as part of his writing. Most importantly, his son Christopher created a map of Middle-earth in 1953, as his father was preparing to publish The Lord of the Rings for the first time. Tolkien referred to it in his notes as "the general map," and versions of it have been included in every edition of Th e Lord of the Rings published since. Most helpfully, it includes a scale in miles, which lets readers chart just how much walking Frodo and the various members of the Fellowship did, as well as Bilbo's journey to The Lonely Mountain and back again. Dedicated runners and outdoor enthusiasts can even attempt to walk the same distance in a given amount of time. It's one more example of just how thorough Tolkien was with his world-building, and how well Middle-earth has endured accordingly. It also makes the question relatively easy to answer.

How Many Miles Frodo and Sam Travel in The Lord of the Rings

The distance between the village of Hobbiton and the village of Bree is 120 miles. With these two points marked on Middle-earth's map, it's possible to gauge the distance the Fellowship traveled throughout the trilogy. So, with their first destination being Rivendell, it's estimated that the Hobbits traveled 420 miles starting from the Shire. They take about a month to cover that distance, which is quite impressive considering it takes place entirely on foot.

Rivendell is where the Fellowship is formed, and the journey properly begins. After about two months' of rest, the Fellowship sets out, and together, the group travels roughly 475 miles until Boromir dies and they separate for good. During this time, they travel over mountains and through Dwarven ruins, as well as another rest stop in the Elven stronghold of Lothlorien for about a month. Using boats after visiting Lady Galadriel helped with some of that: covering about 300 miles by the map much faster than they could normally march. From that point, Frodo and Sam walk 340 miles to Mount Doom, and the final total of their journey is estimated to be approximately 1235 miles.

Frodo set out from Bag End in late September, and it's known the One Ring is finally destroyed on March 25. So, over this six-month period, they traveled almost 1300 miles, which averaged around seven miles per day. However, it was far from a consistent journey, as the Fellowship spent almost two months resting in Rivendell and later spent nearly a month with the Elves of Lothlorian . So, the traveling time was around three months, which averaged a little less than 14 miles walked per day. Even with a boat taking them some of the way, this was an impressive feat for such small Hobbits, let alone ones that were trying to hide from Sauron . And including the times they were slowed down -- climbing through mountains, traversing dangerous swamps, and battling the spider Shelob -- shows how persistent the two Hobbits really were.

How Long Frodo and Sam's Journey Took in The Lord of the Rings

How did gandalf and saruman age in the lord of the rings.

Even moreso, the care with which Tolkien assembled his timeline lends quiet insight into the pacing of the narrative. Early in their journey, the Hobbits maintain a brisk pace: sticking to roads and fields. That's accentuated by Frodo's flight to the Ford of Rivendell to end the first part of their quest. Once the Fellowship is formed, the pace slows again, which can be explained away by camping in the wilderness. Time and energy need to be set aside to make and break camp, as well as activities like hunting to secure food. Once the Fellowship breaks, Sam and Frodo maintain a blistering pace for a little more than a week: first attempting to enter Mordor by the Black Gate, then traveling south to Minas Morgul, where they climb the Stairs of Cirtih Ungol and have their battle with Shelob. Presumably, the Hobbits are marching from dawn until dusk at this stage: rarely bothering to set camp or start a fire, and relying largely on Elven lembas bread to keep moving. Finally, the quest ends in an agonizingly slow march through Mordor itself. Both the text and Peter Jackson's film adaptation have the Hobbits literally crawling on their hands and knees towards Mount Doom at one point.

The apt reflection of the drama in Tolkien's timetable shows how much thought he put into the quest of the Ring, and the way he established a clear, plausible timetable for his protagonists to actually be able to make the journey he was sending them on. While Frodo and Sam's quest was already impressive enough, the short time it took them to complete it makes it all the more special. They travel through so many different landscapes that it can be easy to assume the journey takes a year or even longer. But for them to walk across Middle-earth in half that time shows why they were the perfect people for the task:

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is currently streaming on Max.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a series of epic fantasy adventure films and television series based on J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The films follow the adventures of humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits and more in Middle-earth.

Created by J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

Latest Film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Upcoming Films The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim

First TV Show The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power

Latest TV Show The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power

First Episode Air Date September 1, 2022

Cast Charlie Vickers, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Morfydd Clark, Billy Boyd, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, John Rhys-Davies, Dominic Monaghan

Character(s) Sauron, Gollum

Video Game(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth 2, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth, LEGO Lord of the Rings , Lord of the Rings Online, The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Genre Action-Adventure, Fantasy

Where to Stream Max, Hulu, Prime Video

The 10 Strongest Characters from The Hobbit Movies, Ranked

Physical strength isn't everything in Middle-earth.

Sixty years before the events of The Lord of the Rings , Frodo Baggins' uncle, Bilbo ( Martin Freeman ), goes on his adventure, chronicled in The Hobbit . Originating as a bedtime story told by author J. R. R. Tolkien to his children, The Hobbit has become one of the most recognized fantasy stories thanks to its whimsical tone, iconic characters, and fantastic dialogue. From 2012 to 2014, Sir Peter Jackson released a trilogy based on The Hobbit , with mixed results .

One area where Jackson succeeded, however, was bringing to life the many powerful characters of Middle Earth. Thanks to phenomenal casting and advancements in CGI, the characters look and feel much like how Tolkien described them, and their impressive feats are on full display. These are the strongest characters in The Hobbit trilogy ; they come in all shapes and sizes and showcase their strength in unique yet incredible ways.

10 Bilbo Baggins

Played by sir ian holm and martin freeman.

The son of Bungo Baggins and Belladona Took, Bilbo lives the life of a hobbit bachelor, wanting nothing more than to smoke his pipe, read his books, and enjoy his meals. His carefree style changes when he is whisked away by the wizard Gandalf ( Sir Ian McKellen ) to join the company of Thorin Oakenshield ( Richard Armitage ) on their quest to the Lonely Mountain. Though nobody thinks much of Bilbo at first, he soon proves himself to be a reliable ally to the dwarves, especially when he gets his hands on a magic ring.

Compared to other individuals of Middle-earth, Bilbo might not seem like a powerful character, as he is neither a great warrior nor a wise wizard. However, what he lacks in physical and magical abilities, he makes up for in his courage and loyalty . Though he is given several times when he could have abandoned the company and gone home, Bilbo sticks with his friends and is even willing to place himself at risk if it means sparing the lives of others.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

*Availability in US

Not available

9 Thorin Oakenshield

Played by richard armitage.

In his youth, Thorin lives in Erebor with his father, Thráin ( Michael Mizrahi, Thomas Robins, and Antony Sher ), and his grandfather, Thrór ( Jeffrey Thomas ), the King Under the Mountain, until Smaug's ( Benedict Cumberbatch ) attack. Following Thrór's death at the hands of Azog the Defiler ( Manu Bennett ) and Thráin's disappearance, Thorin becomes heir to Erebor but can't unite the dwarves because he lacks the king's jewel, the Arkenstone. He is eventually pushed to try and burgle the jewel by Gandalf, who also provides him with a map and key from his father that leads to a secret door into the mountain.

As a veteran of numerous conflicts with orcs and dragons, Thorin has some of the best combat experience out of all the dwarves in the company . He is the only member of the company who matches Azog in combat and even cuts off the pale orc's left hand in their first fight. Thorin is also a natural leader, and his appearance in the climactic Battle of the Five Armies helps give the dwarven army a second wind rather than crumbling to Azog's overwhelming forces.

Played by Orlando Bloom

The son of King Thranduil ( Lee Pace ) of Mirkwood, Legolas Greenleaf ( Orlando Bloom ) serves as his father's most trusted warrior and lieutenant, keeping their lands safe from invading evils like giant spiders and orcs. He also harbors romantic feelings for his father's captain of the guard, a Sylvan elf named Tauriel ( Evangeline Lily ). When the company of Thorin Oakenshield is captured and subsequently escapes from imprisonment, Legolas joins Tauriel in following them, bringing him into conflict with the son of Azog, Bolg ( Lawrence Makoare and John Tui ).

Legolas might have been an unnecessary change for the Hobbit movies that took away screentime from Bilbo, but there's no denying that the filmmakers captured his great combat skills. Thanks to his immortal life, Legolas had thousands of years to hone his skills in combat, especially archery . He can single-handedly take down squads of orcs all by himself and eventually slays Bolg, a powerful orc able to give an elf as skilled as Legolas trouble.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

7 thranduil, played by lee pace.

During the Last Alliance of Men and Elves, Thranduil watched his father and many of his Sindar kin die in the Battle of Dagorlad, which created the Dead Marshes. Thus, Thranduil became the new king of Mirkwood and dedicated himself to protecting his surviving kinsmen, practicing isolation and trading only with other races out of necessity. Tragedy struck again when his wife died fighting orcs at Mount Gundabad, and he became obsessed with obtaining white gemstones withheld from him by the dwarves of Erebor.

Though not as old as other elven leaders, Thranduil remains an accomplished military tactician and powerful warrior . He reveals to Thorin Oakenshield that he fought against the dragons of the north and still bears scars hidden beneath a magical glamour. During the Battle of the Five Armies, Thranduil decimates multiple orcs at once and cuts his way to freedom before being joined by his guardsmen, hinting at his thousands of years of experience.

Played by Hugo Weaving

Born to elven and human parents in the First Age, Elrond Half-elven ( Hugo Weaving ) chose the life of an elf over a human and has ruled as the lord of Rivendell since the Second Age and the fall of Eregion. Of Noldor bloodline and wielding the Elven Ring of Air, Vilya, Elrond is one of the oldest and wisest elves in Middle-earth, possessing many talents for healing and harm . Elrond keeps his home open for those in need of rest and is always willing to aid those who need it.

Elrond is one of the few Noldor elves who survived the Last Alliance of Men and Elves against Sauron, and his combat skills remain as sharp as ever. Though he usually remains in Rivendell, he keeps a constant vigil for the forces of evil and is quick to dispatch anything that threatens his borders. Should the need arise, Elrond will also venture out of Rivendell, but this is more of a last resort since the Elven Rings were designed to protect and heal.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

5 galadriel, played by cate blanchett.

The single oldest elf in Middle Earth, Galadriel ( Cate Blanchett ), was born in Valinor during the age of the Two Trees and came to Middle Earth with her relatives to battle the first Dark Lord, Morgoth. Armed with Nenya, the Elven Ring of Water, she established Lothlórien, the greatest of the elven sanctums, and ruled with her husband, Celeborn ( Marton Csokas ). As news of evil spreads, she meets with Gandalf in Rivendell to discuss what to do about it and how the dwarves' quest might affect the world at large.

Galadriel represents the peak of what Tolkien's elves can achieve : she is graceful, ethereal, wise beyond measure, and desires nothing more than to see evil fall and the world prosper. Like Elrond, Galadriel's powers are primarily based around healing and protection; should the need arise, she can unleash great and terrible magic against the enemies of Middle-earth . Using these powers can be costly for her, especially if she travels into the heart of evil.

Played by Sir Ian McKellen

One of the five wizards sent to Middle Earth to counteract the evil of Sauron, the mighty Gandalf the Grey wanders among the free people of Middle Earth, offering wisdom, counsel, and encouragement. Concerned about Smaug's rulership of Erebor, he encourages Thorin to recover the Arkenstone and unite the scattered dwarf clans to expel the dragon and reclaim their home. Though he initially planned to help Thorin on his quest, Gandalf must leave them outside Mirkwood to investigate the fortress of Dol Guldur.

Gandalf wields tremendous power through his innate magic and as a bearer of the Elven Ring of Fire , Narya. However, he rarely uses his powers openly, preferring to offer sound wisdom and stir the people of Middle-earth to fight for their freedom. When the need arises, however, he is skilled with both swords and spells, with a special affinity for fire-based magic. Gandalf is one of cinema's most famous wizards, with his might coming as much from his magical ability as it does from his strength of will.

Played by Sir Christopher Lee

Saruman ( Sir Christopher Lee ) is the most powerful of the five wizards and sits at the head of the White Council, an alliance of the wisest beings in Middle-earth who act against the evil of Sauron when they find it. When Radagast the Brown ( Sylvester McCoy ) discovers evidence of dark activity at the fortress of Dol Guldur, Saruman initially dismisses them due to a lack of evidence. However, Gandalf's capture forces his hand, exposing the evil as none other than Sauron.

Audiences remember Saruman as a terrific secondary villain in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the Hobbit films show him when he was still good. Though he is cautious about heeding Gandalf's warnings, it makes some sense since he is concerned about breaking four hundred years of stability and potentially unleashing a dragon upon the land. When forced, Saruman demonstrates his magical talents against Sauron's Nazgûl and even declares that he will deal with the tyrant himself. At that moment, Saruman was still fully committed to the fight against evil.

Played by Benedict Cumberbatch

The last of the great fire drakes of the north, Smaug destroyed the human kingdom of Dale and the dwarf kingdom of Erebor to claim their treasures. He then went into dormancy, hoarding his accumulated gold, content that nothing in the region could match his power. When Bilbo sneaks into his lair to recover the Arkenstone, Smaug awakens and decides to have a chat with the hobbit to ascertain his motives and allegiances.

Though not as powerful as the dragons of old, Smaug is still a formidable creature and one of the strongest monsters in all of Middle-earth . Alongside his tremendous size, strength, and ability to breathe fire, Smaug also possesses a keen intellect that allows him to strategize and work information out of others. His only real weakness is his pride, which does lead to him fatally underestimating Bard of Laketown ( Luke Evans ).

The greatest servant of Morgoth, Sauron took up the mantle after his master's defeat and sought to dominate Middle Earth using the rings of power, which were controlled by his One Ring . However, Isildur ( Harry Sinclair ) cut off his finger and separated him from the One Ring, costing Sauron his physical body and forcing him into hiding. Despite this setback, Sauron remained dedicated to his task and gathered orcs, trolls, and wargs to Dol Guldur to wage a surprise war on the North.

Even in his weakened state, Sauron is leagues stronger than any other being in Middle Earth , and should he possess the One Ring, his conquest of the land would be absolute. Along with the considerable dark magic that allows him to overcome the likes of Gandalf, his sheer willpower is enough to rally dark creatures and the spirits of the dead to him. Meanwhile, his deathless nature means that defeat is little more than a minor setback . The White Council only delayed his invasion by sixty years, during which time he nearly brought the free people to their knees even without the One Ring.

NEXT: Every Middle-Earth Movie Extended Edition, Ranked by Importance

site categories

Kevin costner’s ‘horizon: an american saga’ gets 11-minute ovation at its cannes world premiere, breaking news.

Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain Why They’re Returning To Middle-Earth For ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ 23 Years After Cannes Saved The Billion-Dollar Franchise

By Mike Fleming Jr

Mike Fleming Jr

Co-Editor-in-Chief, Film

More Stories By Mike

• Cannes Conversation With Oliver Stone On New Documentary ‘Lula,’ Hopes For One More Narrative Film & A Sobering Take On Putin & Ukraine
• Taylor Sheridan Says Farewell To Dabney Coleman, Explains Why He Gave Mentor Unforgettable Turn As Dutton Family Patriarch In ‘Yellowstone’
• Polish Brothers Reteam To Make Innovative Movie ‘There There’ Starring Gretchen Moll, Shannyn Sossamon & More — Cannes Market

EXCLUSIVE : Since Warner Bros acquired rights to make more Middle-earth films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s works and the canon established by New Line’s original trilogy, Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings cohorts Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens hovered over the proceedings for a long time, as they mulled how to return, and much to involve themselves into another deep dive into Tolkien mythology.

Related Stories

Andy Serkis To Direct, Star In New ‘Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ Set For 2026 Release – Update

‘The Lord Of The Rings’ Trilogy: A Look Back At A Breathtaking Gamble 20 Years Later

Go back 23 years, and the road was far more perilous when New Line founder Bob Shaye greenlit three LOTR movies that Jackson shot one after the other in New Zealand. One of the biggest gambles in film history, Shaye’s bet looked to be facing longer odds as bad buzz spread that LOTR would fail and it would not only doom New Line, but its offshore distribution partners. That was until Shaye had the idea to bring 25 minutes to Cannes for a premiere, and fly in the sets to replicate Middle-earth haunts like The Shire for a blowout bash at a nearby castle. Both Shaye gambles paid off: the bad buzz on the movie dissipated, and the question became, just how successful would these movies be? The principals revisited those moments several years ago for a Deadline Disruptors Magazine article to commemorate the 20 th year of the release of The Fellowship of the Rings .

And so the choice for another movie became Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum . And the other surprise was that Andy Serkis , the actor who turned in those breathtaking Gollum performances, would helm the film. With every chance that cast members from the original will drop in, as Bloom’s Legolas did in The Hobbit .

Not only was Serkis eager to reprise his role as the malevolent, tragic creature, but he also sparked to step up to his biggest challenge, as the film’s director. While Gollum’s backstory was dished in small doses during LOTR , Jackson told Deadline that there is much more ground to cover. Especially in the periods when Gollum was off the grid.

“The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic,” Jackson told Deadline. “I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there’s a little bit of both of them in all of us. We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films. It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien.” 

After Jackson undertook the arduous task of directing three LOTR rings in one big shoot, he tapped Guillermo del Toro to take the helm of The Hobbit trilogy. When that didn’t work out, Jackson stepped in and warmed to the challenge of the prequel story of Bilbo Baggins. It would have been a lot to ask him to direct another trio, and to him, the easiest part of the decision to dive back into Tolkien’s Middle-earth was to hand the baton to Serkis.

Serkis has been steadily building toward a career move like this. After he distinguished himself as second unit director for Jackson’s The Hobbit films, Serkis has helmed increasingly ambitious films — Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle — after starting with the touching love story Breathe . He’s wrapped his first animated film, an adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm . Serkis has also continued to immerse himself in the technical aspects and performances of motion capture that made Gollum so breathtaking in the LOTR films. That included playing Caesar in the Matt Reeves-directed Planet of the Apes trilogy, and serving as Visual Effects Motion Capture EP on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.

To Jackson and Philippa Boyens – who wrote the first six films with Fran Walsh – giving Serkis the job was the easiest decision they had to make.

“Andy was a joy to work with directing Second Unit on The Hobbit ,” Jackson said. “He has the energy and imagination and, most importantly, an inherent understanding of the world of the story that is needed to step back into Middle-earth. 

“We have collaborated on eight films together and each time it has been a fantastic experience. There’s no one in this earth better equipped to tackle Gollum’s story than Andy.” 

“Gollum’s story is one of the most compelling to us in terms of a character that we couldn’t go as deeply into as we wanted to before, which sounds strange when you say that, given how familiar he is to everybody,” Boyens told Deadline. “Gollum’s life span takes place in such an interesting period of Middle-earth. When the question was first asked, this was the first story we thought of. Because I can tell you, and people might not believe this, but we had zero expectations of going back to this. It wasn’t something we were looking to do, particularly. So when the question was asked, it was, what would draw you back? And it was about working with the people we we’re working with. It was also about the chance to work with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy at the studio. Alan Horn is now back at the studio. It just felt right.”

That included the elevation of Serkis to the director’s chair.

“Pete has always admired Andy’s abilities as a director,” she said. “That’s why he asked him to shoot his second unit. It was kind of a no brainer. It was never about, why Andy? It was like, please, God, let Andy say yes. We wanted him to tell the story of Gollum and the hunt for Gollum as soon as we decided, okay, that’s the story. And Pete knew he didn’t want to direct go back into the world of Middle-earth again. [Peter] really enjoyed working with Kenji Kamiyama, who directed War of the Rohirrim . As soon as Pete decided, okay, I’m not going to direct it myself, and it’s going to be Gollum’s story, I swear to God, there was no one else but Andy Serkis.

“There’s nobody else you can think of who knows what goes into that character and we know what he brings to it and brings to the whole world of Middle-earth. Andy is going to have a really interesting take. It’s going to be his own take, because what we don’t want this film to be is just the fourth film in the trilogy. This film has to work in its own way. And that’s our job. That’s what we are going to have to be able to do. I know there’s plenty of people out there who will be like, oh no, why are they doing this? Why are they going back in? Well, that’s our job, to prove why we think that it’s a good idea.”

To Serkis, the opportunity brings his career full circle from when his Gollum portrayal put on the map a highly physical but difficult to characterize actor. Many recall that moment, sitting in the theater watching the second LOTR installment The Two Towers , when Gollum is having a bitter fight with himself over whether to obey Frodo and guide him to Mordor, or kill him and his sidekick Sam and take back the ring. It was a seminal moment for motion capture, in its way as much a seminal screen moment as the coffee shop scene in Heat between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Serkis has been part of the continued development of bringing creatures to life through acting performance and VFX, and he’s eager to put his own stamp on it over two decades after The Two Towers .

It turns out that Serkis never really ventured that far from the character that most defines him.

“Gollum has always stuck with me throughout all of these years,” he said. “I’ve read audio books of the trilogy and the Silmarillion and The Hobbit , so Tolkien’s world has never left me in all of that time since we did the first films. And the character particularly has remained such an enormous part of my life. So it’s absolutely thrilling to be able to go back and do a deep dive into his world again, and specifically into Gollum’s psychology. I know we’re all interested in investigating on a deeper level who that character is, and on top of that, to be able to direct and hopefully create a film which has its place within the canon, but also something that’s fresh and new and a different approach.”

That includes taking advantage of the technological enhancements made in the last two decades.

“Mike, the thing is, at that time, the motion capture technology back then was pretty much restricted to interior sets and it was just motion capture at that time,” Serkis said. “And throughout the course of the evolution of the technology through the Apes movies, it changed. For instance, we were able to untether it from a volume and allow real performance capture, because in those three films, the first three films, the facial was all animated, copying my facial expressions. But it wasn’t driven by a performance capture, the delicacy and the nuance that was then able to be caught using head-mounted cameras. During the Apes movies is when the real experimentation began with going outdoors and shooting on location. And those are the big movies. And obviously Jim Cameron was working on his Avatar movies alongside Weta. They were pushing the nuances of facial performance with facial capture as well. Weta has been at the forefront of it particularly. And so it really has now reached a level where the authorship of the performances … allows you to actually internalize more without any sense of overacting, or the closeup is the detail within a closeup when you’re being very still. This is something that is clearly working at a much greater and a deeper level now.”

While it’s early going, Serkis sounded optimistic about working in appearances from some of the actors who brought LOTR and The Hobbit trilogies to life.

“That’s a difficult question to answer right at this moment in time, because we’re really in the nascent stages of what it is exactly where we’re doing, and where the story’s going to take us,” he said. “So I don’t want to commit anything right now. I mean, because it’s so raw and so raw and wriggling, and we are just literally having very early state script discussions and ideas of exactly where and how we’re going to drop anchor with the character and his journey and how he is or comes into contact with other characters, and the characters that we know and don’t know. So still, I would hate to say anything that’s going to commit us at this point, because it’s literally all up for grabs.”

Jackson, Serkis and cohorts also understand that Middle-earth has gotten crowded, what with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power completing its first strong season at a reported $450 million investment by Amazon.

“We have the right to the Lord of the Rings and the appendices, and that’s it,” Boyens said. “I would love to see that expand if there was the opportunity to do so, but there is so much that is in those three books. I know that especially hardcore fans of Professor Tolkien, they always get nervous that there’s only so much story. But look at War of the Rohirrim . It’s a page and a half at first glance in the books. But there are lots of threads throughout the book.

“ War of the Rohirrim sits 200 years before the events of the ring, and it really is a standalone story,” Boyens said. “It was one of the reasons that I came to that story when we were looking to do something that would fit with anime. We wanted to do something that really had nothing to do with rings of power or Sauron or the Dark Tower or wizards, even. It’s a story about a people who are tearing themselves apart. So that felt like a really good fit, not only for anime, but to go into a new art form which anime is, and try and tell a story based in Middle-earth without touching really upon the live action films, if that makes sense. What it did do for us though was re-ignite that passion for the world and for the work of Professor Tolkien. It absolutely has done that, and I think it surprised us. We fell back into the world really easily and it just felt like a natural fit. It also showed us, it certainly showed me, how deep that mythology runs and how much story is left to be told.

“This is something that Professor Tolkien did himself and it is what worked so well,” she said. “He drew upon existing mythologies to create this world.”

Tolkien also gave permission for others to pivot.  

“He wrote a letter to Milton Waldman in 1951 that said, ‘I would draw some of the great tales in fullness and leave … scope for other minds and hands, wielding paint and music and drama.”

Must Read Stories

‘horizon’ review + red carpet as costner hits town; demi moore talk; more.

Will ‘Megalopolis’ Distributors Replicate One Of Movie’s Buzziest Moments?

Season finale with jake gyllenhaal; trump vp cold open; what’s in store for season 50, ‘if’ rises to $34 million+, ‘strangers’ strong, ‘back to black’ goes belly-up.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

20 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.