Fans of "The Lord of the Rings" were briefly concerned during the holidays when the Extended Edition of "The Return of the King" was accidentally removed from HBO Max. Millennial dads and fans who were planning to watch the finale to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy on the streaming service were puzzled to find it missing, as posts on Reddit revealed the distress over the unexpected delisting. Fortunately, it turned out to be a technical glitch rather than an intentional removal, and sources assured that the movie would be restored to HBO Max shortly.

This isn't the first technical issue with HBO Max's library. A similar situation occurred with the HBO limited series "Watchmen" when it was unexpectedly pulled from the streaming service due to a technical mistake. The recent pattern of removing content from HBO Max is often related to cost-cutting efforts by Warner Bros., which has caused unrest among subscribers fearing for their favorite shows and movies.

The incident with "The Return of the King" raises awareness that even digital platforms can face challenges leading to the temporary loss of content. However, the quick resolution suggests the streaming service is vigilant in maintaining its library for viewers' satisfaction.

Why was "The Return of the King" removed from HBO Max?

It was due to a technical issue and not an intentional removal by HBO Max. The movie was promised to return to the streaming service shortly after the mistake was identified.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is the third installment in the high-fantasy epic film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. The extended editions of these films include additional scenes that were not shown in cinemas, providing a more in-depth experience of the beloved Middle-earth saga. "The Return of the King" received widespread acclaim and won all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture.