20 years ago, Lord of the Rings actor John Rhys-Davies made three predictions about the future of the trilogy, and all of them actually came true. From 2001 to 2003, The Lord of the Rings movies dominated screens around the world as Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy adaptation revolutionized an entire franchise based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works.

The films elevated the careers of many of its starring actors, including Elijah Wood, and they have since left a mark on cinema. However, in an interview at The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers’ Hollywood premiere in 2002, John Rhys-Davies actually predicted all of this, and much more. Check out his full Lord of the Rings prediction below:

Three prophecies I made the second week being there:

1. These were going to be bigger than Star Wars,
2. They were going to be the biggest grossing pictures of the year, and
3. In 20 years time, when you look back, you’ll say “Lord of the Rings is a masterpiece.”

John Rhys-Davies is best known for playing Gimli in the Lord of the Rings movies, the stubborn dwarf character of the fellowship, and has appeared in all three films. As a result, it appeared that the actor knew exactly what would come to pᴀss from his Lord of the Rings role, as all three of Rhys-Davies’ predictions actually came true.

Lord Of The Rings Was Bigger Than Star Wars (From A Certain Point Of View)

Box Office Figures Show LOTR Earned More Than Star Wars

Rhys-Davies saying Lord of the Rings was going to be bigger than Star Wars in 2002 was a bold claim. Star Wars already had a mᴀssive fanbase as the original trilogy was released in the 1970s and 1980s, and it was gearing up for a modern resurgence following the release of 1999’s prequel, Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

However, while Star Wars has an impressive legacy, Rhys-Davies’ prediction was correct, as the box office figures show Lord of the Rings beat Star Wars in 2002. Episode II – Attack of the Clones was released in May and grossed $656.7 million worldwide. Meanwhile, The Two Towers released in December, and grossed $921.7 million worldwide, earning nearly $270 million more.

Furthermore, the Lord of the Rings trilogy altogether earned an impressive $2.94 billion at the box office worldwide, while the original Star Wars trilogy only earned $1.8 billion. Cultural changes in cinema and inflation are a factor to consider. However, even Star Wars’ prequel trilogy only earned $2.6 billion.

As a result, when you examine Star Wars and Lord of the Rings’ box office grosses, the latter franchise actually earned considerably more. This means Rhys-Davies’ prediction that the trilogy would be bigger than Star Wars came true. Yet, in terms of cultural impact and overall earnings, Star Wars is the bigger franchise as it’s more accessible to wider audiences.

Two Lord Of The Rings Films Were The Highest-Grossing Movies

John Rhys-Davies Predicted LOTR’s Commercial Success

The second prediction that Rhys-Davies made was that the Lord of the Rings movies “were going to be the biggest grossing pictures of the year.” Once again, the Gimli actor was technically correct in his guess, as two out of three of the films in the Peter Jackson franchise were the highest-grossing movies in the year that they released.

Unfortunately, according to figures by Box Office Mojo, The Fellowship of the Ring lost out on the number one spot to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001, becoming the second-highest grossing movie worldwide that year. However, subsequent Lord of the Rings movies – The Two Towers and Return of the King – were the highest-grossing movies of 2002 and 2003.

While it’s disappointing that all three Lord of the Rings movies didn’t reach that box office milestone, it makes sense. Harry Potter was a much more modern franchise which had a very successful run of books through the late 1990s and early 2000s, and they appealed to a much broader demographic, while Lord of the Rings was an older idea.

However, Lord of the Rings quickly proved its worth in the year that followed, shooting up to first place as The Two Towers became the highest-grossing movie worldwide in 2002. The films even kept this spot when the third installment released the next year, demonstrating a dedicated viewership, and thus proving John Rhys-Davies was (mostly) correct in his prediction.

20 Years On, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Is Considered A Masterpiece

Peter Jackson Carved Out A Legacy With Lord Of The Rings

Rhys-Davies’ third prediction about the franchise was that “in 20 years time, when you look back, you’ll say Lord of the Rings is a masterpiece,” and the actor has never been more right. Since its release, The Lord of the Rings has proved ever-popular, spawning The Hobbit trilogy, as well as Prime Video’s The Rings of Power TV series.

The fact is that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies are brilliantly made movies; they have fantastic stories, stunning visuals, and well-developed characters which entice viewers in. Earning an impressive 800 nominations and 475 awards, the movies evidently resounded and became one of the most awarded film series in history. The Two Towers alone were nominated for six Oscars.

While there are obviously some changes to the book, as an adaptation, many consider The Lord of the Rings to be a faithful Tolkien-inspired trilogy worth watching. Expertly exploring themes of environmentalism, the battle of good versus evil, greed and innocence, and the strength found in the most ordinary people, there is something for everyone in Lord of the Rings.

“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.” – Samwise Gamgee

Now, over 20 years on, The Lord of the Rings trilogy still holds up today. Not only are the films’ universal themes forever relevant, but the use of good practical effects instead of CGI, and the amount of dedication and pᴀssion poured into the movies is inspiring. John Rhys-Davies was right – The Lord of the Rings is definitely a masterpiece.

Sources: Hollywood Archives, Box Office Mojo