Though there is a large cast of characters making up the Middle-earth adventure, fans might be surprised about Legolas’ screen time or how much Samwise Gamgee is featured in The Lord of the Rings movies. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved film franchises of all time and is known for bringing epic fantasy to life unlike anything fans had seen before. Frodo’s quest to destroy the one ring has continued to inspire fan’s imaginations even years after the end of the film series.
Because of the length of the films, fans got an unusual amount of screen time with their favorite characters. They see the heroes undertake this incredible mission, they see some key characters fall along the way, and they see who is there to triumph in the end. Of course, some key characters spent more time on screen than others in the theatrical versions of the films. These screen times in the Lord of the Rings movies offer an interesting insight into how big of a role these characters play throughout the story.
|
Character |
Screen Time |
|---|---|
| Frodo | 120 Minutes |
| Sam | 76 Minutes |
| Aragorn | 73 Minutes |
| Gandalf | 70 Minutes |
| Pippin | 48 Minutes |
| Merry | 40 Minutes |
| Gollum | 35 Minutes |
| Gimli | 30 Minutes |
| Legolas | 30 Minutes |
| King Théoden | 23 Minutes |
|
Boromir |
20 Minutes |
|
Éowyn |
18 Minutes |
|
Arwen |
13 minutes |
|
Bilbo Baggins |
13 minutes |
|
Elrond |
12 minutes |
15 Elrond
12 Minutes
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While Elrond is a main character in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, seen as a younger Elf, he still has an important role to play in the original trilogy of movies. Elrond is the Elven Lord of Rivendell and an essential part of setting the quest to destroy the One Ring in motion. He brings the Fellowship together at Rivendell and sends them on their path to save Middle-earth.
Even though Elrond does not accompany the Fellowship in their mission, he still plays a large role in the overall story. He is even pictured in the movie’s intense prologue which depicts him as one of the essential figures who faces off with Sauron when he initially attempts to conquer Middle-earth with the One Ring. Seeing Isildur fail to destroy the One Ring also makes Elrond the character who is most aware of the dangers the ring has.
14 Bilbo Baggins
13 Minutes
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Though Bilbo Baggins does not have a lot of screen time in the overall Lord of the Rings trilogy, he is, of course, the character who sets the story in motion in a number of ways. Before the events of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bilbo was the one who found the One Ring and took it from Gollum. Now years later, he is ready to set off on his own journey and leave behind the ring that he has been so drawn to for so long.
Bilbo also serves as the main character in
The Hobbit
trilogy, where he gets much more screen time.
Bilbo appears in the first movie where the relationships he shares with Frodo and with Gandalf are established. He is not seen again until The Return of the King when he is very old and ready to head to the Undying Land with the Elves. Bilbo also serves as the main character in The Hobbit trilogy, where he gets much more screen time.
13 Arwen
15 Minutes
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While The Lord of the Rings movies are known for their epic fantasy storytelling and amazing battle sequences, there is also time for romance in the movies. This is where Arwen’s role plays the biggest part as the romance she shares with Aragorn is an emotional subplot that goes throughout the entire trilogy. Arwen is the daughter of Elrond and therefore a prominent figure in the Elf community beyond simply being Aragorn’s love interest.
She is introduced in the first movie when she comes to the aid of the Hobbits and Aragorn after Frodo was seriously injured by the Nazgûl. She proves herself to be a strong warrior and brave hero who saves Frodo’s life. She remains a memorable part of the three movies as she is conflicted with the choice between going with her people to the Undying Lands or remaining with Aragorn, knowing he is mortal.
12 Éowyn
18 Minutes
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Not only does the Lord of the Rings trilogy have time for a romance, but the movies also turn it into a love triangle with the introduction of Éowyn. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers brings in several new characters who become big parts of the story going forward. Éowyn is the niece of King Théoden and his loyal follower who has not given up on him despite him being under Saruman’s control.
When Aragorn and the others arrive to Rohan, they help to save Théoden and Éowyn quickly becomes infatuated with Aragorn. While the two do share a connection, his heart remains with Arwen, but the love triangle gives Éowyn a big role in the second movie. This sets her up to have a more personal arc in the third movie, in which she proves herself as a warrior and hero, including the iconic moment she defeats The Witch King.
11 Boromir
20 Minutes
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Given the fact that he dies in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, it is impressive that Boromir was able to get such a large amount of screen time in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, not only does the character stand out in the first movie, but he has one of the best arcs in the entire trilogy. Boromir is a heroic and capable warrior who joins the Fellowship, but he is also quickly influenced by the ring and wants to harness its power to better the lives of his people.
Seeing Boromir struggle with the dark thoughts and desire to take the ring for himself makes him a character to be wary of in the first movie while also giving him a much bigger presence than the other characters. Of course, his moment to shine in the spotlight comes with his redemption and heroic death. While Sean Bean has many death scenes throughout his career, Boromir’s demise still stands as perhaps the most iconic.
10 King Théoden
23 Minutes
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Despite debuting in the second film The Two Towers, King Théoden gets a fair bit of screen time in the second half of the series. Théoden gets an interesting arc in Two Towers which sees him released from the evil grip of dark magic where he then re-takes his throne. Though he was seen as a weak ruler who was not serving the interests of his own people, the breaking of the curse that held him shows the true man that is.
ThéodenFrom there, he becomes one of the noblest and most likable heroes in the story, showing compassion for his people and bravery in the face of their formidable enemy. The king of Rohan is an important supporting character who commands forces on several occasions against the evil of Isengard. He is important enough as a member of the race of Men in Lord of the Rings that he gets his own emotional death scene in Return of the King.
9 Legolas
30 Minutes
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The powerful Elf, Legolas is a constant figure in the entire series and proves to be a memorable character among the original fellowship. He is swift of foot and sure with his bow which makes him a valuable ally and useful in the many battles that he gets involved in. Despite being one of the original fellowship members, Legolas spends a relatively short amount of time on screen compared to his compatriots. While teammates, such as Aragorn, have larger and more complex arcs, Legolas became a fan favorite with what little time he was given over the three films.
However, Legolas does have several standout moments in the trilogy that helped cement him as an iconic character, such as surfing down the steps on a shield and taking down an oliphant single-handedly. Though he might not have as much screen time in the original trilogy, Legolas is featured in The Hobbit movies as well, making him a more prominent character in this world.
8 Gimli
30 Minutes
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Like Legolas, Gimli was a member of the Fellowship of the Ring who did not have a lot of influence on the plot, but whose presence in the movies was unforgettable. Gimli is devoted to his cause and proud of his race of Dwarves. This sometimes puts him in conflict with Legolas, as the Dwarves and Elves of Middle-earth share a complicated history. However, these two become unlikely friends by the end of the trilogy.
His over-the-top personality made him beloved with fans and though he isn’t a main character, he is often cited as a fan favorite.
He is a valuable member of the original fellowship and often proves adept in the fierce battles against the Orcs. Gimli is filled with personality and is known for his grumpy disposition and quickness to anger at the smallest slight. His over-the-top personality made him beloved by fans and though he isn’t a main character, he is often cited as a fan favorite.
7 Gollum
35 Minutes
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Gollum appears in all three films, though he doesn’t become a major character until The Two Towers. Once he does come on the scene though, Gollum becomes a major part of the story and gets a fair amount of screen time. The strange ex-Hobbit helps to lead Frodo and Sam to Isengard and yet he has his own motivations.
Gollum is far from an ally to Frodo and yet his strange mannerisms made him popular with fans of the franchise. Andy Serkis’ amazing performance helped to elevate Gollum beyond a simple supporting character into one of the best of the entire series. He is a complex and tragic character with him growing popular enough in the first two movies that his backstory is shown at the opening of Return of the King. The character will make his return in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
6 Merry
40 Minutes
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Merry is rarely very far from his best friend Pippin and together they make up some of the funnier moments of the series. The two largely serve as the comedic relief characters of the movie with them seemingly ill-equipped for the dangerous journey they find themselves on. However, Merry is the one who begins the take the task more seriously as time goes on.
In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Merry is the one who takes great offense to the Ants not helping them with the fight against Saruman’s forces, wanting to get back in the fight rather than just be a hapless Hobbit. This arc is continued in The Return of the King as he wants to join the army in their battle and eventually changes into the war with Eowyn.
5 Pippin
48 Minutes
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Pippin is the youngest of the Hobbits and one of the sillier characters from the films. He is devoted to the cause, though he makes many blunders, including knocking a skeleton down a well in the mines, thus giving away their position and looking into the palantír. Despite these mistakes, Pippin is pure of heart and wants only to help Frodo in his quest. Pippin, like his best friend Merry, gets a chance to grow and mature over the course of the films.
Because of his friendly disposition and likable personality, fans were drawn to the Hobbit and he is a beloved staple of the franchise.
Pippin is often injured, incapacitated, or captured during the course of the films, and yet he always manages to come out on top. His emotional arc in the movie comes when he becomes a ward at Denethor where he triggers the beacon to alert the armies of Middle-earth. Because of his friendly disposition and likable personality, fans were drawn to the Hobbit and he is a beloved staple of the franchise.
4 Gandalf
70 Minutes
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The wizard Gandalf is one of the most constantly present characters in the entire J.R.R. Tolkien universe. The mysterious character is known to come and go as he pleases and rarely gives the Hobbits a straight answer. Though he starts off as a seemingly silly old man, Gandalf proves to be a powerful wizard by the end of the trilogy. Gandalf is known for his clever phrases and his somewhat verbose attitude towards the Hobbits.
Though he is in a lot of the films, he also splits from the group frequently which slightly reduces his screen time. This includes his apparent death in the middle of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings and his time off-screen in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers when he assembles an army. Despite this, Gandalf has produced some of the most memorable moments in the entire franchise.
3 Aragorn
73 Minutes
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Aragorn is the most present human character in The Lord of the Rings films and has one of the most interesting character arcs. While surrounded by other races that are known for their longevity, Aragorn is haunted by his own mortality. He is a powerful ally to the Hobbits and an important addition to the fellowship and becoming the most traditional hero of the trilogy, as much a main character in the end as Frodo is.
Aragorn’s plot takes up a significant chunk of screen time throughout the trilogy and, besides the main plot, his scenes are some of the strongest in the films. Aragorn is the perfect blend of a sympathetic character and a thrilling action hero and he is usually in the thick of things in the fiercest battles of the Lord of the Rings movies.
2 Sam
76 Minutes
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Sam is Frodo’s closest friend and often acts as his voice of reason when he is too wrapped up in his quest. Sam is often underestimated and that allows him to grow as the films progress into a fully realized character who is capable of saving the day. He is one of the best characters to highlight the themes of Tolkien’s stories that the smallest people can have the biggest impact and he gradually becomes the heart of the story.
The time that he is on screen is well used and Sam is a beloved character with many redeeming qualities that endear him to fans.
Because he is so close to Frodo, he is also on-screen for quite a bit of the runtime of the trilogy. The time that he is on screen is well used and Sam is a beloved character with many redeeming qualities that endear him to fans. Frodo’s quest is inseparable from Sam and despite his attempts to go it alone, Sam is always by his side.
1 Frodo
120 Minutes
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Over the three films, Frodo is on screen for about the running time of an average movie. Frodo is undoubtedly the most important character and it is his quest to destroy the ring is the focus of the trilogy. Because he is the main character, it is only natural that he dominates the screen time and is shown more than any other character by far. He also has one of the strongest arcs in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with this unassuming Hobbit taking on this great responsibility and slowly becoming consumed by the dark power of the ring.
Frodo is important, not just because he is destined to destroy the ring, but because he is a unique Hobbit from a strong family lineage. Like his predecessor, Bilbo, Frodo is unique from his fellow Hobbits and is somewhat more serious minded. He is a conflicted character and often struggles during his quest which helped to endear him to fans.