Fans of fantasy films could argue that the genre became less niche in the 21st century, especially after the release of Peter Jackson‘s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings books. So, it only makes sense for the final and third film from Jackson’s franchise, 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, to be crowned “the greatest fantasy film” since 2000.
On July 15, Collider released a ranking of “15 best fantasy movies of the 21st century so far.” The publication put The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2004, at the list’s top spot. Other fantasy films featured on the ranking included Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest from 2006, 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Spirited Away, released in 2001, and Pan’s Labyrinthfrom 2006.
Collider argued that The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King deserved recognition because of its incredible story, full of adventure, and how it expertly wraps up Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the rest of the Fellowship’s journey.
Peter Jackson Shared How He Felt About His ‘Lord of the Rings’ Films Getting Oscar Nominations While Promoting ‘The Return of the King’
In an interview promoting The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Jackson shared how it felt receiving Best Picture nominations for both the 2003 film and the first movie in the franchise, 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. The Heavenly Creatures Director explained that he didn’t focus his energy on ensuring his Lord of the Rings films would win Oscars. Rather, as a fan of Tolkien’s books, he wanted to make films that honored the original text. Jackson clarified that he did want audience and critics to enjoy the films.
“The Oscars tend to be just sort of like an extra bonus on the end. The nominations are fantastic. And, you know, they’re ultimately peer compliments, really, from other filmmakers who think you’ve done a good job, which is really great,” said Jackson during the 2003 interview.