The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Matamata, New Zealand

Permanent set of Hobbiton located in a farm near Matamata for The Lord of the Rings, rebuilt in solid materials for The Hobbit and has since become a tourist attraction.

The scene : The return of the hobbits to the Shire, Sam's wedding at the Green Hill, and the final scenes of Cul-de-Sac.

Featherston, New Zealand

The scene : The prologue: on the estate's lake, Sméagol strangles Déagol to seize the Ring near the Fields of Iris.

Fiordland, New Zealand

The scene : The shores of the great river Anduin, where Sméagol moves.

Upper Hutt, New Zealand

The scene : Rivendell, where Arwen glimpses her future and where Elrond presents Aragorn with the sword Andúril.

Ashburton District, New Zealand

The scene : Edoras and the Golden Hall: the funeral feast followed by the departure of the Rohirrim towards Gondor.

Horowhenua District, New Zealand

The scene : Scenery of the Mountains of Shadow and the dilapidated outskirts of Osgiliath.

Lower Hutt, New Zealand

The scene : The life-size sets of Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul, built in the quarry.

Arthurs Point, Queenstown, New Zealand

The scene : The stairs of Cirith Ungol, climbed by Frodo and Sam, were filmed in the squash court of the hotel.

Twizel, New Zealand

The scene : The Battle of the Pelennor Fields: the charge of the Rohirrim, Éowyn facing the Witch-King, 1,000 extras over 32 days of filming.

Paekakariki, New Zealand

The scene : Pelennor Fields: close-ups of the Nazgûl and the Mûmakil of the Harad army.

Kinloch, New Zealand

The scene : The Greenstone Valley represents Dunharrow, where King Théoden gathers the Rohirrim before the muster.

Ruapehu District, New Zealand

The scene : The perfect cone of Mount Ngauruhoe serves as the model for Mount Doom, where the Ring must be destroyed.

Ohakune, New Zealand

The scene : In Ithilien, at the foot of the waterfall, Gollum is fishing and Frodo tries to protect him from Faramir's men.

Queenstown-Lakes District, New Zealand

The scene : In Ithilien, Frodo and Sam, hidden, witness the clash between the soldiers of Gondor and those of Harad.

Ruapehu District, New Zealand

The scene : The volcanic plains of the plateau host the confrontation in front of the Black Gate.

Cap Palliser, New Zealand

The scene : Rocky coasts depicting the expanses of Mordor.

Ruapehu District, New Zealand

The scene : The ash slopes of the ski field represent the outskirts of the gates of Mordor.

Ruapehu District, New Zealand

The scene : On the slopes of Ruapehu, Frodo and Sam capture Gollum who was stalking them.

South Wairarapa District, New Zealand

The scene : The eroded columns represent Dimholt and the Paths of the Dead, taken by Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to raise the Army of the Dead.

Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand

Film studio complex in the Miramar area of Wellington, part of Peter Jackson's New Zealand production ecosystem.

The scene : Set decorations for the production, complementing the outdoor shoots.

Wellington, New Zealand

Miramar Film Studio Complex (Wellington), the production heart of Peter Jackson's films.

The scene : The interior sets of the Citadel of Gondor, Cul-de-Sac and the scenes of the Grey Havens, filmed on stages.

Frankton, Queenstown, New Zealand

Private rolling estate overlooking Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown, sought after as a film backdrop for its views of the Remarkables mountain range.

The scene : The heights overlooking the lake serve as the setting for Aragorn's encounter with the ghost soldier of the Paths of the Dead.

New Zealand

Spectacular fjord of Fiordland National Park, with vertical cliffs and waterfalls, located in the southwest of New Zealand.

The scene : Panoramas of fjords and peaks depicting the grand landscapes of Middle-earth.

Westland District, New Zealand

The scene : The lighting of the alarm fires of Gondor, relayed from peak to peak across the White Mountains (Ered Nimrais) to summon Rohan for aid.