<P> The Lord of the Rings is a film series consisting of three high fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson . They are based on the novel The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien . The films are subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 ) , The Two Towers ( 2002 ) and The Return of the King ( 2003 ) . They are a New Zealand - American venture produced by WingNut Films and The Saul Zaentz Company and distributed by New Line Cinema . </P>
number of films in lord of the rings
three