Return of the King’s four-hour extended cut is heading back to the cinema for it 20th anniversary

The four-hour cut of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is coming back to cinemas to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Ensure you have your popcorn beside you and plenty of time for a bathroom pit stop, as the mammoth extended cut will return to theaters next month.

As reported by GameSpot, it seems Cinemark and Regal theatres in the US will be showcasing the extended version of the movie from April 13.

According to the website, the showing of 11-time Academy Award winner Return of the King has a runtime of 4 hours and 20 minutes, confirming this is, in fact, the extended edition.

New Line Cinema

But that’s not all.

The flick, released initially two decades ago, was remastered and upgraded to 4K in late 2020.

At this time, the prices of the cinema tickets haven't been released, and we do not know whether the extended edition will be showcased worldwide.

However, we’re praying we'll at least get a few screenings outside the US.

And the legacy of The Lord of the Rings continues to live on as New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. have announced more movies are currently in the works.

Peter Jackson will also be involved in these projects, which is just music to our tiny elven ears.

New Line Cinema/Maximum Film / Alamy Stock Photo

While little is known about these upcoming films, Jackson stated: “We look forward to speaking with [New Line Cinema and Warner Bros.] them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”

So perhaps the reboot will take place after Frodo dumps the one ring in Mount Doom, leading to the death of Sauron?

GQ also reported that Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela claimed they were ready to delve ‘deeper’ into the world that J.R.R. Tolkien had created.

“The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honour, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure,” they said.

Additionally, last month, The Embracer Group announced they will release five Lord of the Rings games between now and March 2024.

These games will include Daedalic Entertainment’s Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which has experienced several delays, plus there’s The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria.

So, hopefully, that will keep you entertained until the next instalment is released on the big screen.