21 Years of Majesty: Uncovering 20 Hidden Gems of Trivia from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

On December 17, 2003, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" captivated audiences worldwide, concluding Peter Jackson's epic trilogy with an emotional and visually stunning finale. As we celebrate its 21st anniversary, we dive deep beneath the surface of this cinematic masterpiece to unveil 20 lesser-known pieces of trivia that even the most ardent fans might not know. From behind-the-scenes anecdotes to quirky facts, let's explore the magic that made this film a legend.

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1. The One Ring's Keeper: Both Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis believed they were the sole recipient of a prop ring, only to discover later that each had one.

   
   

2. A Soldier's Touch: The idea for King Theoden touching his soldiers' spears before battle was conceived by actor Bernard Hill.

   
   

3. Family on the Front Lines: Viggo Mortensen's son, Henry, made a cameo as the first Orc Aragorn kills on the Pelennor Fields.

   
   

4. Tolkien's Descendant: J.R.R. Tolkien's great-grandson, Royd Tolkien, appeared as a Gondorian Ranger during the Osgiliath scene.

   
   

5. Cameo by Creators: Composer Howard Shore and sound mixer Michael Semanick can be seen in a drinking game scene in the Extended Edition.

   
   

6. Art in Action: Christian Rivers, the art director, made a cameo as one of the soldiers watching the beacon in Minas Tirith.

   
   

7. Co-producer's Role: Rick Porras, a co-producer, also appeared as a soldier watching the beacon at Minas Tirith.

   
   

8. Elijah's Injury: During the Shelob attack, Elijah Wood was accidentally stabbed with a prop stinger, leading to a short hospital stay.

   
   

9. Military Extras: The New Zealand Army was recruited to bolster the ranks for the Battle at the Black Gate, breaking wooden props in their enthusiasm.

   
   

10. Gimli's Farewell: John Rhys-Davies, who played Gimli, burnt his makeup face mask on his last day of shooting.

    
    

11. The Last Line: The final spoken line, "Well, I'm back," mirrors the last line of Tolkien's book, echoing the journey's end.

    
    

12. Peter Jackson's Surprise: Jackson himself didn't see the final cut until its premiere due to last-minute post-production work.

    
    

13. A Giant Prop: The Oliphaunt carcass used in the Battle of Minas Tirith is reportedly the largest movie prop ever made.

    
    

14. Viggo's Song: The song Aragorn sings at his coronation was composed by Mortensen himself, with lyrics from Tolkien.

    
    

15. Sam's Family: Sean Astin's daughter played Sam's daughter Elanor in the film's ending.

    
    

16. A Painful Prop: Wood's experience with appendicitis might have been related to the stinger incident, as humorously speculated.

    
    

17. Multiple Endings: There were plans for even more endings, including an epilogue narrated by Galadriel, which was cut.

    
    

18. Real Phobias: Jackson used his arachnophobia to gauge the effectiveness of Shelob's design.

    
    

19. Historical Accuracy: Christopher Lee corrected the crew about the sound a stabbed person makes, ensuring realism.

    
    

20. An Unexpected Director: Andy Serkis directed the Sméagol flashback scenes, later becoming a second unit director for "The Hobbit".

Some Closing Thoughts:

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is not just a film; it's a cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire and captivate. These 20 bits of trivia reveal the depth of dedication and creativity that went into crafting a world that feels as real and compelling today as it did 21 years ago. Here's to many more years of celebrating this timeless saga.

So, how do you plan on celebrating the fact that "The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King" is now old enough to get a drink of its own in the Prancing Pony? Whatever you guys think, jump down in the comments section below and let us know your thoughts!

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