The Return of the King Extended Edition DVD – What to Expect
The release of The Return of the King Extended Edition DVD is generating a great deal of excitement—and understandably so. As the final chapter of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, expectations are high, and fans are eager to see what has been added, expanded, and restored.
While I am not usually focused on film releases as much as books, the number of questions I have been receiving made it worth putting everything together. Here is a clear overview of what we know so far, along with some thoughts on what makes this edition particularly interesting.
Release Details
A lot of people have been asking about the Extended Edition of The Return of the King, and the excitement is clearly building. Here is what is currently known:
- Release date: December 10, 2004 (a bit later than previous years, which saw November releases)
- Packaging: A blue collector’s box
- Possible theatrical re-release: Rumoured for October
- Extended runtime: Approximately 49 minutes longer than the theatrical version
- Additional effects: 351 new or enhanced FX shots
- Audio & extras: Four commentaries and extensive appendices
The Collector’s Gift Set will include:
- A model of Minas Tirith (which opens up)
- Optional companion piece: Minas Morgul model
- The Lord of the Rings Symphony DVD
Estimated pricing:
- Platinum Series: around $30
- Collector’s Gift Set: around $70
Newly Added Scenes
This is where things become truly interesting. The additional footage includes several moments fans have been hoping to see:
- Gandalf confronts Saruman at Isengard — finally included
- Merry pledges his allegiance to Théoden
- Aragorn uses the Palantír, leading to his vision of Arwen’s fate
- Gandalf faces the Witch-king at Minas Tirith (including the breaking of his staff)
- Aragorn in the Houses of Healing
- Faramir and Éowyn’s relationship develops more fully
- Frodo and Sam at the Cross-roads
- Frodo and Sam disguised among Orcs marching to Mount Doom
One of the most anticipated additions is the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the Black Gate. As in Tolkien’s book, he presents Frodo’s Mithril shirt, convincing the armies that Frodo is dead. This gives a completely different emotional weight to Aragorn’s “For Frodo”—now less a rallying cry, and more a final act of defiance.
There are also rumours that Galadriel may close the film with a monologue, although this may have changed during production.
Final Thoughts
Even for those who already own the theatrical release, this Extended Edition looks to be far more than just additional footage. The expanded scenes appear to restore important narrative elements closer to Tolkien’s original story, while the scale of the production—both in content and presentation—makes this a significant release in its own right.
While I may not usually focus heavily on film merchandise, this is clearly one of those editions that will appeal not only to movie fans, but also to collectors. And judging by the level of interest already, this is going to be another major success.
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