Fans of 'The Lord of the Rings' series experienced a brief moment of panic when the Extended Edition of 'The Return of the King' was accidentally delisted from HBO Max. Subscribers to the streaming service were surprised to discover that the final installment of Peter Jackson's acclaimed trilogy was unavailable, despite the other movies remaining accessible. The disappearance caused confusion among users, especially when the movie was not included in the monthly list of titles leaving the platform. However, it was later confirmed that the removal was due to a technical glitch and not part of any content purging efforts by Warner Bros. following its recent merger with Discovery. Subscribers can expect 'The Return of the King' Extended Edition to return to HBO Max soon.

Why was 'The Return of the King' Extended Edition removed from HBO Max?

The movie was accidentally removed due to a technical issue and is expected to be re-added to the streaming service shortly.

'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, has been a seminal work in cinematic history, beloved by fans worldwide. Based on the classic fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, the movies were released in the early 2000s and have garnered a massive following, as well as numerous Academy Awards. 'The Return of the King', the third and final installment, is particularly celebrated, having won all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture. The extended editions of these films include additional scenes and content that were not shown in theaters, providing an even richer experience for die-hard fans.