https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/5qyiq2/how_did_lord_of_the_rings_do_so_well/#bottom-comments
How did such an ambitious project, with the movie being shot over 400 days and such a big budget in a genre that hardly anyone liked become such a big hit? Would it be as big if it were released today?
Fantasy itself might not have been a popular genre, but The Lord of the Rings always had a special place in people's hearts, making it something of an exception. Plus, I think it had a very positive message that struck a chord with people coming off the fires of 9/11.
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf
from TMC;
Would it be as big if it were released today?
If the Lord of the Ring project was being shopped around today, it would probably not be made.
Hollywood executives are running to make the next simple superhero or action movie. Something like 3 expensive / fairly faithful LOTR films is just beyond what is being put out today.
- But if it would be done today, it would be like the Hobbit movies which end up mostly not following the book; throwing in Twilight romance (maybe Gimli could hook up with an Elf), putting in wall to wall action (continual fighting through half of each movie) and it would end with Aragorn fighting Sauron (yes Sauron would not be a floating eye but some tough villain like Ronin from Guardians of the Galaxy).
It's a miracle that the LOTR films got made with such a high level of quality.
"How did Lord of the Rings do so well?"
The New Zealand team of film makers and production staff painstakingly created a work of art based on Tolkien.
They kept it close enough to the book. (Thanks to Boyens)
They were allowed to make 3 films.
They hired the right actors.
The musical score was brilliant.
And the production had top notch designers / artists / special effects staff who were guided by top level Tolkien artwork throughout every part of the LOTR movies.
Imo at least, BB ;-)
it is just in my opinion - imo - 🌈