The Lord of the Rings delights Chinese fans again 20 yrs later

Twenty years after the epic franchise The Lord of the Rings first started its journey to worldwide popularity, the trilogy's first installment The Fellowship of the Ring has been re-screened across China on over 700 IMAX screens in 4K since April 16.

As one of New Zealand director Peter Jackson's most celebrated film franchises, The Lord of the Rings was first released between 2001 and 2003, grossing around $3 billion worldwide. The films earned more Oscars than any other cinematic franchises, ushering in a new era for fantasy films.

According to Warner Brothers Pictures, the second installment, The Two Towers, will be re-released in the Chinese mainland on April 23.

As of Monday, the re-screening of The Fellowship of the Ring has raked in 84 million yuan ($13 million), surpassing Godzilla vs Kong and the Chinese hit Sister to claim second place in the country's box office charts.