The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed entirely in New Zealand, with the country's diverse landscapes serving as the perfect backdrop for Middle-earth.
Over 20,000 costumes were made for the trilogy, with each piece meticulously crafted to reflect the culture and history of the characters wearing them.
Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, performed many of his own stunts and insisted on using a real steel sword during filming, even carrying it with him off set to stay in character.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed simultaneously over 438 days, making it one of the longest and most ambitious film shoots in cinematic history.
Sean Bean, who played Boromir, was afraid of flying and would often hike or take a ski lift to reach remote filming locations, even when other cast members opted for helicopter rides.
The role of Gandalf was originally offered to Sean Connery, who turned it down because he didn't understand the script. The role eventually went to Sir Ian McKellen, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance.
Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum, spent four years developing the character's voice and movement, and his performance revolutionized the use of motion-capture technology in film.
The intricate maps of Middle-earth seen in the films were hand-drawn by artist Daniel Reeve, who used calligraphy techniques to add an authentic medieval feel.
The hobbit feet prosthetics worn by Elijah Wood and the other hobbit actors took over an hour to apply each day and required a special adhesive to keep them in place during filming.
The Black Speech inscription on the One Ring was created using Tengwar, an Elvish script developed by J.R.R. Tolkien, and translates to 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.'
Peter Jackson made a cameo in each of the films, appearing as various characters such as a Rohan soldier, a Corsair pirate, and a peasant in Bree.
The final battle scene in 'The Return of the King' involved over 20,000 extras, with many of the soldiers being portrayed by members of the New Zealand army.
Liv Tyler, who played Arwen, learned Elvish for her role and even spoke the language fluently in several scenes, demonstrating her dedication to the character.
The sound of the fell beasts' screeches was created by mixing the sounds of a donkey and a car door slamming, just one example of the creative sound design used in the films.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy won a total of 17 Academy Awards out of 30 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for 'The Return of the King.'
