Harry Potter vs Lord of the Rings – What’s better? Face-Off

Last Updated on March 11, 2022

In recent times, superhero flicks still hold an Iron Man grip on the mainstream box office while the fantasy genre is seeing its own resurgence of high-quality book adaptions on streaming services. The global TV sensation Game of Thrones blasted through the small screen, paving the way for the likes of Netflix’s The Witcher series, HBO’s epic His Dark Materials, and also Amazon’s new show The Wheel of Time.

The success of these productions is largely thanks to 2 gargantuan book adaptations – Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. Not only did they both become insanely successful franchises, but proved that, with the right directors at the helm, a supportive studio, and an immensely talented cast and crew, anything was possible. Harry Potter kicked off in 2001 with The Sorcerer’s Stone, directed by Chris Columbus and made stars out of its trio of unknown youngsters – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. The film series lasted for 8 installments, culminating in the epic Deathly Hallows: Part II, shattering box office records and winning universal acclaim with critics and fans alike. Also in 2001, Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film saga kicked off with The Fellowship of the Ring, starring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The film received two sequels, The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003), each better than the last. In fact, The Return of the King is considered one of the greatest films ever made. It grossed over a billion dollars at the box office and won all 11 Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Picture.

But which of these awe-inspiring fantasy franchises deserves to win the TriWizard Cup and which one should burn in the lava of Mount Doom? There’s only one way to find out: FACE OFF! 

This episode of Face-Off is written and edited by Adam Walton, narrated by Travis Hopson, produced by Matthew Hacunda and executive produced by Berge Garabedian. Check out previous episodes below and let us know what franchise, Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, do you prefer in the comments: