Which film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy became the first fantasy film to win Best Picture?

The Return of the King became the first fantasy film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The third film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy won Best Picture at the 76th Academy Awards, held on February 29, 2004. It was the first fantasy film to receive the award and remains one of the most successful Oscar victories in the category’s history.

The film won all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Director for Jackson and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens. Its Best Picture victory completed a remarkable awards run for the trilogy, whose earlier films had also received numerous nominations.

The achievement is sometimes confused with the trilogy’s other records. The Return of the King was the first film in the series to win Best Picture, but it was also the third installment and the final theatrical release. Its victory tied the record for the most Oscars won by one film, alongside Ben-Hur and Titanic at the time.