The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

When will the movie (and re-releases) end?

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 24, 2025

Almost five full years after their fairly controversial 4K debut, all three of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films are gradually being re-issued by Warner Bros. as stand-alone Steelbook editions. Die-hard collectors might remember a now long out-of-print Best Buy exclusive Steelbook set; these are identical in design and on-disc content, but no outer case is included and, of course, you'll have to buy them separately. Much like that earlier collection as well as the wide-release 4K multipack, only the theatrical and extended films are included here; there are absolutely no bonus features on board at all, which remain exclusive to the older DVDs, Blu-rays, and of course this hefty boxed set.

With the first two installments released earlier in the year, this Steelbook of The Return of the King closes the trilogy. For a film synopsis and appreciation, see our Blu-ray reviews of the Theatrical and Extended collections.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced directly from the 4K disc but have been downsampled to 1080p/SDR and thus should not be considered an accurate representation of quality in terms of brightness level, color, and detail.

For details about the contentious 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision transfer for both versions of The Return of the King, please see my earlier 4K reviews linked above. Also, please note that a few pieces of originally inaccurately-reported technical information have been corrected on my part and they've been slightly re-graded.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, details about the new Dolby Atmos mixes can be found in the reviews linked above.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This three-disc release ships in matte-finish Steelbook packaging that, like the 4K transfers, may prove divisive among fans. Since these new Lord of the Rings Steelbooks are identical to those found in the Best Buy exclusive Steelbook set, please see the packaging screenshots 13, 14, and 15 from Neil Lumbard's review of that title for a closer look.

As with other 4K releases of the film, no bonus features are included.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

When they first appeared on DVD (especially in their extended forms), all three The Lord of the Rings films were an early showcase for what home video packages were capable of: great video and audio, a mountain of bonus features, and deluxe packaging to boot. While the Blu-ray and especially 4K editions of these films don't exactly reach the same heights pound-for-pound in all three departments, the A/V merits have their strengths and these familiar Steelbook editions, once a coveted Best Buy exclusive, are now easily available minus the bulky outer box.