The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition is a version of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. These versions have new editing, adds special effects and music, and also more scenes and content in the movies. They were first released in a Platinum Series Special Edition in DVD, about a year after the release of each movie in the cinemas.

• The Fellowship of the Ring contains 30 minutes of additional footage, in a green sleeve. It contains an Alan Lee painting of the Fellowship entering Moria, and the Moria Gate on the back of the sleeve. An Argonath styled bookend was issued within a Collector's Edition.
• The Two Towers contains 42 minutes of additional footage. A Rohirrim sun symbol decorates the back of its red sleeve and a Lee painting of Gandalf the White's entrance. The Collector's Edition contained a Sméagol statue, with a crueler looking statue of his Gollum persona available for order during a limited time.
• The Return of the King is the Extended Edition with most content, contains 50 minutes of additional footage, and a blue sleeve with the White Tree of Gondor. The Lee painting is of the Grey Havens. The Collector's Edition included a model of Minas Tirith, with Minas Morgul available for order during a limited time.

The Platinum Extended Special Edition also brings maps showing the route of the main characters in Middle-earth. The complete trilogy was released in a 12 Disc set, with 2 discs of extra feature each.

They have also played at movie theaters, most notably for a December 16 2003 marathon screening culminating in a midnight screening of the third film and another screening on AMC Theatres in June 14 (The Fellowship of the Ring), 21st (The Two Towers), and 28th (The Return of the King) so people could get ready for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

On August 29 2006 both versions were put together in a Limited Edition "branching" version plus a new feature-length documentary by Costa Botes. The complete trilogy was released in a 6 Disc set on November 14, 2006.

After the Return of the King Extended Edition was screened on June 28, 2011, all 3 extended edition was released on Blu-ray with 6 Feature film Blu-ray discs and 9 special features DVDs, combining a total of 15 discs.

Extended scenes Edit

In the Extended cut, we see many scenes that don't appear in the Theatrical cut. There are also many scenes that were cut from the Theatrical version but don't appear in the Extended cut, nor even in the DVD extras which contain cut scenes. The Extended Version includes such scenes.

The Fellowship of the RingEdit

• Isildur's death.
• Bilbo's opening narration "Concerning Hobbits".
• Bilbo at the party scene avoiding the Sackville-Bagginses.
• Bilbo and Frodo's dialogue at the party scene, while avoiding the Sackville-Bagginses.
• The Hobbits at the Green Dragon Inn.
• A conversation between Ted Sandyman, Hamfast Gamgee, Old Noakes, Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins.
• Frodo and Sam seeing Wood Elves making their way to the Grey Havens on their first day of their journey across the Shire.
• The crossing of the Midgewater.
• Aragorn singing "The Lay of Lúthien".
• Sam shows Frodo the trolls when they are at Trollshaws.
• Gandalf reciting Black Speech at the Council of Elrond.
• Aragorn visiting his mother's grave.
• The Fellowship given a goodbye at Rivendell.
• Gandalf warning Frodo about Boromir near Moria.
• Lothlórien panorama added.
• Sam's poem about Gandalf's fireworks.
• The Fellowship members have flashbacks from when they were given their gifts from Galadriel.
• Celeborn and Aragorn have a conversation in a flashback.
• Aragorn and Boromir seeing Gollum behind a floating log.
• More of Merry and Pippin defending Boromir at Amon Hen
• Fan Club credits.

An Easter Egg is present on the first DVD of some editions of the Extended Edition. It does not appear in the UK version because the film was only rated a PG, however this spoof was rated a 12. It can be accessed by going to the final page of the chapter menu and then scrolling down until a golden ring appears. The Easter Egg is a parody of the Council of Elrond scene and stars Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Additionally, on the second disk of the extended edition, there is another Easter egg. It can be accessed by going to the final page of the chapter menu and scrolling down under the chapter numbers (like 30-33). Go to the bottom and a silhouette of two towers will appear. It is a special trailer for "The Two Towers" that was added on during the end of the theatrical run of the movie.

The Two TowersEdit

• Sam using his Elvish Rope to help him and Frodo rapel down a cliff; and a clip in which it is raining on them.
• Pippin believes that Merry is wounded and asks the uruk-hai to give him some water. Instead they give him orc draught to drink.
• Extra dialogue concerning Sauron's buildup of forces, gathering of allies, plotting, etc.
• Éomer finds his cousin mortally wounded and brings him to Edoras.
• Gríma exiling Éomer is extended.
• The encounter between orcs and Uruk-hai is extended.
• The funeral of Théodred.
• The encounter between Treebeard and the hobbits Merry and Pippin is extended; there is also a scene in which Merry and Pippin stay drunk only to hear the powerful voice of the Ent, almost falling off Treebeard's body.
• Merry and Pippin drink Ent Draught (which makes them grow a few inches taller).
• Merry and Pippin get attacked by Old Man Willow and Treebeard saves them.
• Gandalf and Aragorn talk about Frodo's fate on their way to Rohan.
• Some humorous scenes, such as one in which Eowyn (who is an awful cook) serves a plate of terrible stew to Aragorn.
• Aragorn reveals his age to be 87 in a conversation with Eowyn.
• Faramir finds the boat carrying the body of his brother Boromir; which brings him many memories that help to explain in detail his relationship with his father Denethor and Denethor's unsympathetic and almost hostile attitude towards his younger son, Faramir.
• Faramir and Boromir at Osgiliath.
• Denethor sending Boromir to Rivendell to find out about the Secret Council called by Elrond and (presumably) the One Ring.
• Legolas and Gimli comparing their Uruk-Hai kill count after the Battle of Helm's Deep.
• Flotsam and Jetsam is a new scene where Merry and Pippin find food and Longbottom Leaf in Isengard.
• Extended Scene of Sam's Speech at Osgiliath.
• Faramir shows the hobbits the way out of Osgiliath.
• Fan End Credits

The Return of the KingEdit

• The final confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman on Isengard; Saruman's staff breaks and he is stabbed in the back by Gríma Wormtongue, who is shot with an arrow by Legolas; Saruman falls from Orthanc and is impaled in a war machine. His palantír falls on the water and is found by Pippin.
• The drinking game between Legolas and Gimli
• The Mouth of Sauron
• The fighting between Gandalf and the Witch-king of Angmar in Minas Tirith.
• Extended scenes of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
• The march of Frodo and Sam between the orcs
• Faramir telling Denethor that he would never use the One Ring (in a flashback on which Boromir appears).
• Aragorn seeing the fleet of Corsairs ships.
• Faramir and Eowyn in the Houses of Healing
• Merry offering his services to King Theoden
• Aragorn revealing the sword Anduril to Sauron in a palantír.
• Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli barely escaping from an avalanche of craniums when they are negotiating the alliance with the Dead.
• Faramir and Pippin having a passionate conversation in Minas Tirith.
• Gollum and Frodo struggling on Mount Doom.
• Sam threatening Gollum about Frodo on the secret stairs to Shelob's Lair.
• Fan End Credits
• New song called "Bilbo's Song" added to the closing credits