Oscar nominations and wins for
Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’
Posted: July 2026
List of Oscar nominations and wins for Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The three films collectively were nominated for 30 Academy Awards, winning 17. The final film swept all 11 Oscar categories for which it was nominated, the highest clean-sweep total in Oscars history. The films were made in New Zealand and distributed by New Line Cinema. Year indicates year/period for which films were eligible for awards consideration, not year of ceremony. Sources: Oscars.org, Internet Movie Database
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King — 11 Oscar nominations, 11 wins:
WON: Best Picture (Barrie M. Osborne, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh)
WON: Best Director (Peter Jackson)
WON: Best Adapted Screenplay (Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson)
WON: Best Editing (Jamie Selkirk)
WON: Best Original Song (Into The West) (Fran Walsh, Howard Shore, Annie Lennox)
WON: Best Original Score (Howard Shore)
WON: Best Costume Design (Ngila Dickson, Richard Taylor)
WON: Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Grant Major, Dan Hennah, Alan Lee)
WON: Best Makeup (Richard Taylor, Peter King)
WON: Best Sound Mixing (Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek)
WON: Best Visual Effects (Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook, Alex Funke)
2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — 6 Oscar nominations, 2 wins:
Best Picture (Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson) — lost to Chicago (Martin Richards)
Best Editing (Michael Horton) — lost to Chicago (Martin Walsh)
Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Grant Major, Dan Hennah and Alan Lee) — lost to Chicago (John Myhre, Gordon Sim)
Best Sound (Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek) — lost to Chicago (Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella, David Lee)
WON: Best Sound Editing (Ethan Van der Ryn, Michael Hopkins)
WON: Best Visual Effects (Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook, Alex Funke)
2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — 13 Oscar nominations, 4 wins:
Best Picture (Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Barrie M. Osborne) — lost to A Beautiful Mind (Brian Grazer, Ron Howard)
Best Director (Peter Jackson) — lost to Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind)
Best Supporting Actor (Ian McKellen) — lost to Jim Broadbent (Iris)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson) — lost to A Beautiful Mind (Akiva Goldsman)
WON: Best Cinematography (Andrew Lesnie)
Best Editing (John Gilbert) — lost to Black Hawk Down (Pietro Scalia)
Best Original Song: May It Be (Enya, Nicky Ryan, Roma Ryan) — lost to Monsters, Inc. (Randy Newman) (If I Didn’t Have You)
WON: Best Original Score (Howard Shore)
Best Costume Design (Ngila Dickson, Richard Taylor) — lost to Moulin Rouge! (Catherine Martin, Angus Strathie)
Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Grant Major, Dan Hennah) — lost to Moulin Rouge! (Catherine Martin, Brigitte Broch)
WON: Best Makeup (Peter Owen, Richard Taylor)
Best Sound (Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Gethin Creagh, Hammond Peek) — lost to Black Hawk Down (Michael Minkler, Myron Nettinga, Chris Munro)
WON: Best Visual Effects (Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook, Richard Taylor, Mark Stetson)
