Lord Of The Rings 4K Blu-Ray Steelbook Collection Returns Soon, Preorders Discounted At Amazon

Even after 20 years, The Lords of the Rings trilogy is still the gold standard for fantasy, and if you're looking to rewatch those cinematic masterpieces, you won't want to miss out on the reprinting of the out-of-stock steelbook collection. While you can easily find the Middle-earth film trilogy on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, this particular set is aimed at collectors, as it comes with a nice slipcase and large steelbook cases that house three discs each. As you can see below, it's a very pretty set. You can preorder the region-free collection now for $153 (was $170) at Amazon ahead of its August 9 release.

If you already ordered at full price, don't worry: You won't be charged until your order ships, and you'll pay the lowest price offered by Amazon between the time you preorder and release. Blu-rays often receive fairly substantial discounts ahead of launch, so we wouldn't be surprised to see the new Lord of the Rings set drop lower in the coming weeks.

The Lord of the Rings 4K Limited-Edition Box Set

The new 4K Blu-ray collection of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings adaptation combines the theatrical cuts of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King with their meatier extended cuts. If you only caught the regular editions of the films, then you'll want to prepare yourself for the bladder-straining odyssey of the trilogy in this format, as they contain more content in comparison. Blu-rays typically receive discounts prior to release, and if you preorder now, you'll get the set for the lowest price offered until your order ships.

Other key changes include new editing, additional special effects, and more music added to these cuts. Fellowship of the Ring is extended by around 30 minutes, The Two Towers is 44 minutes longer, and The Return of the King will make you regret drinking that soda when you sit through an additional 51 minutes of extra footage.

These 4K versions have also been praised for vastly improving on the movies, adding new layers of clarity and depth to visuals. If you have the right TV and sound setup, these films will stand out beautifully when you play them, especially when compared to the standard Blu-ray editions that had an infamous green tint issue when they were first released.

In total, there are nine Blu-ray discs in this collection, each one housed in a very stylish steelbook case featuring some beautiful art. Is there a master disc out there, waiting to rule them all and in the darkness bind them? Who knows, but we'll roll with a definite maybe to that question.

It's worth noting that this 4K set is produced by Warner Bros. UK and has a content rating emblem on the box that you won't find on North American releases. However, 4K Blu-rays are region-free, so North American buyers won't have any issues watching these films on NA media players.

If you don't care about the fancy packaging, you can get the same 4K editions of the films in this collection for $73. Alternatively, you can buy the standard Blu-ray collection for $42.

Interested in pairing your new box set with equally beautiful new editions of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy novels? Hardcover collector's editions of all three novels and The Hobbit are available to preorder now at Target. The Hobbit will be published on August 6, while The Lord of the Rings trilogy releases September 17 as individual volumes and a box set containing a foldout map. The Silmarillion, which is the best-known supplementary Middle-earth book, is also getting a matching collector's edition on August 6.

As you'll notice in the image below, these new editions are quite pretty. The Lord of the Rings has been reprinted in different formats many, many times, but upcoming releases are both eye-catching and reasonably priced.

The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Books

• The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set -- $105
• The Hobbit Collector's Edition -- $36
• The Silmarillion Collector's Edition -- $32
• The Fellowship of the Ring Collector's Edition -- $35
• The Two Towers Collector's Edition -- $35
• The Return of the King Collector's Edition -- $35