Movies like The Lord of the Rings (1978)
The best movies like The Lord of the Rings (1978) are Strings (2004), Fire and Ice (1983) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). If The Lord of the Rings hooked you with its adventure and animation, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)8.5/10 from 28,858 votes
- NewestMoon Valley Quest (2025)Released 2025
Strings (2004)
The story of Prince Hal who sets out to avenge his dead father against the city's rivals, the Zeriths, little knowing it was his wicked uncle Nezo who is the real killer, with his own designs on the throne.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFire and Ice (1983)
The villainous Nekron and his mother, Queen Juliana, plot against the human race from their frigid fortress. Creating mass destruction with huge glaciers, mother and son incur the wrath of Larn, a warrior whose entire village was destroyed by ice. When Nekron's underlings kidnap the beautiful Princess Teegra, Larn sets out to rescue her, assisted by the fierce and enigmatic Darkwolf.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & adventure
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Following Smaug's attack on Laketown, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers - Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisBeowulf (2007)
A 6th-century Scandinavian warrior named Beowulf embarks on a mission to slay the man-like ogre, Grendel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & animation
SnoozefestMovies like thisWarcraft (2016)
The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people, and their home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThor: Tales of Asgard (2011)
Hungry for adventure, Thor secretly embarks on the journey of a lifetime, joined by his loyal brother Loki, whose budding sorcery equips him with just enough magic to conjure up trouble, along with the Warriors Three - a band of boastful travelers reluctant to set sail on any adventure that might actually be dangerous. But what starts out as a harmless treasure hunt quickly turns deadly, and Thor must now prove himself worthy of the destiny he covets by saving Asgard itself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWizards (1977)
After the death of his mother, evil mutant wizard Blackwolf discovers long-lost military technologies. Full of ego and ambition, Blackwolf claims his mother's throne, assembles an army, and sets out to brainwash and conquer Earth. Meanwhile, Blackwolf's gentle twin brother, the bearded sage Avatar, calls upon his own magical abilities to foil Blackwolf's plans for world domination — even if it means eliminating his own flesh and blood.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPinocchio (2009)
The enchanted story of Pinocchio.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Secret Kingdom (2023)
Verity and Peter’s trip to the old family mansion takes a turn when the floor of their room suddenly gives way and they fall into an underground chamber where they are met by a civilization of creatures. The leader tells them that Peter's arrival was foretold as he’s the one who can use Great Clock of the Citadel to restart time and destroy the Shroud, a malevolent creature who feeds on fear itself...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSnow Queen (2002)
Since a bitter winter storm stole the life of Gerda's mother, she and her father have sadly continued to run the remote hotel they call home. Lonely and isolated, Gerda's only joy is Kai, the handsome bellboy. A mysterious guest with an icy stare arrives at the hotel one night, wrapped in fur and diamonds. By daybreak, the "Snow Queen" has vanished with Kai! Gerda embarks on a journey of morphing seasons, fantastical creatures, and long-frozen mysteries in a desperate quest to find her stolen love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRiddle of Fire (2024)
Three mischievous children embark on a woodland odyssey when their mother sends them on an errand.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & adventure
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPercy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)
In their quest to confront the ultimate evil, Percy and his friends battle swarms of mythical creatures to find the mythical Golden Fleece and to stop an ancient evil from rising.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
After his name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools in the Triwizard Tournament. But if Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament, then who did? Nevertheless, Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water monsters, and an enchanted maze—only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both adventure & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBilal: A New Breed of Hero (2016)
A thousand years ago, one boy with a dream of becoming a great warrior is abducted with his sister and taken to a land far away from home. Thrown into a world where greed and injustice rule all, Bilal finds the courage to raise his voice and make a change. Inspired by true events, this is a story of a real hero who earned his remembrance in time and history.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTreasure Planet (2002)
When space galleon cabin boy Jim Hawkins discovers a map to an intergalactic "loot of a thousand worlds," a cyborg cook named John Silver teaches him to battle supernovas and space storms on their journey to find treasure.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Exploits of Moominpappa – Adventures of a Young Moomin (2022)
A beautiful summer day in Moomin Valley. Suddenly, a wasp stings Moomintroll, who falls ill and has to stay in bed. To cheer him up, Moominpappa recounts his youthful adventures; his misunderstood childhood, escape from an orphanage and his historic meeting with the inventor Hodgkins.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & adventure
Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible (1996)
Inspired by the theatrical magicians Siegfried and Roy, this animated adventure transplants the stage personalities into a fantastical world called Sarmoti, where the once powerful witches and fairies of the land have had their magical abilities stolen by an invading race from Endland. Now, heroic magic wielders Siegfried, Roy, and Roy's magical white tiger Manticore are the only ones who can set things right - if they can just get along with each other.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & animation
DragonHeart (1996)
In an ancient time when majestic fire-breathers soared through the skies, a knight named Bowen comes face to face and heart to heart with the last dragon on Earth, Draco. Taking up arms to suppress a tyrant king, Bowen soon realizes his task will be harder than he'd imagined: If he kills the king, Draco will die as well.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMoon Valley Quest (2025)
In 1988, a video game geek and failed musician is recruited by a retired battle general to defeat an evil beast and his gang in order to restore the freedom of Moon Valley's citizens in this music driven fantasy action adventure.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & fantasy
DEEMO Memorial Keys (2022)
Deemo is a lonely individual who lives in solitude, playing the piano in a castle. One day, a girl who has lost her memory falls from the sky. Wanting to help her recover her memories and return to her world, Deemo discovers that a tree kept atop the piano will grow whenever the piano is played.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & fantasy
The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Cutlass (1954)
The teenager Misha Polyakov, being with his mother in a Ukrainian village on vacation with his grandmother and about to return home to Petrograd, offers his best friend Genka to go with him. Suddenly, a white gang of Nikitsky bursts into the village and attacks Misha’s house, where Commissioner Polevoy lives. The purpose of Nikitskiy (aka Nikolskiy) is a dagger located at Polevoy. Saving the commissioner, Misha learns from him the history and secret of the weapon, and receives it for storage with a request to solve the secret. Having returned with adventures to Petrograd, Misha Polyakov with friends begins to unravel the riddle of the dagger, in the handle of which is encrypted text.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure
VeggieTales: Lord of the Beans (2005)
Sunday morning values, Saturday morning fun! It’s a tale of good versus evil with beans! Lord of the Beans follows the fantastic journey of a Flobbit named Toto Baggypants (Junior Asparagus) who inherits a most unusual and powerful bean. With the help of his mentor Randall and a spirited group of friends, Toto embarks on a mission to discover how he should use his gift. On their quest, the group encounters many challenges, including crossing the mountains of Much-Snowia, and facing the dreaded Lord Scaryman – who seeks the bean for misguided, selfish reasons. Will Toto discover the purpose of his giver, or will the scary dude and his Spark army capture the bean and wield its awesome powers?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Chon Wang, a clumsy imperial guard, trails Princess Pei Pei when she's kidnapped from the Forbidden City and transported to America. Wang follows her captors to Nevada, where he teams up with an unlikely partner, outcast outlaw Roy O'Bannon, and tries to spring the princess from her imprisonment.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Lord of the Rings?
The closest matches to The Lord of the Rings are Strings (2004), Fire and Ice (1983) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Lord of the Rings?
Start with Strings (2004), the closest match to The Lord of the Rings.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Lord of the Rings?
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), rated 8.5/10 by 28,858 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Lord of the Rings?
Moon Valley Quest (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Lord of the Rings?
Yes: Strings (2004), Fire and Ice (1983) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013).
How are movies similar to The Lord of the Rings chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Lord of the Rings, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.