Peter Jackson Shuts Down THE LORD OF THE RINGS Extended-Extended Edition Myth

For years, Lord of the Rings fans have traded rumors about a mythical cut of the trilogy that goes even further than the already massive extended editions.

The idea of an “extended-extended edition” has lived on forums and convention floors like a legend passed down through Middle-earth itself. Now, Peter Jackson has finally shut that door on those rumors.

Speaking with Empire, Jackson made it clear that there isn’t some secret vault of amazing unused scenes waiting to be assembled into yet another version of the trilogy.

As he put it, “Are there great scenes that we never used? The answer is no,” Jackson explained. “There are bits and pieces, I guess. But if you did an extended-extended cut, or whatever it will get called, it would be disappointing. It would be the extended cut with a few extra seconds of something here and there; it wouldn’t be worthwhile doing.”

That makes sense when you look at the sheer scale of what already exists. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King already run for more than nine hours in their theatrical forms. Add in the extended editions, and you’re tacking on roughly another two and a half hours, pushing the total past 11.5 hours.

One of the longest-running rumors tied to this whole discussion is the so-called “Mithril Cut,” which supposedly featured more of Aragorn and Arwen’s early relationship.

Co-writer Philippa Boyens has addressed that speculation too, noting that while some material exists from their time in Lothlórien, it simply isn’t substantial enough to justify assembling another cut of the films.

Jackson did offer one small glimmer of hope for longtime fans, though. He’s still interested in releasing a comprehensive making-of documentary for the trilogy, built from alternative takes, unused moments, and bloopers that have never been seen. “But to this day, I haven’t persuaded [the studio], because obviously it’s a big undertaking,” he added.

While the original trilogy may be locked in stone at this point, Middle-earth itself is far from finished. On the TV side, The Rings of Power is gearing up for Season 3. On the film front, a brand-new project is officially on the way.

The Hunt for Gollum will see Andy Serkis stepping behind the camera to direct while also returning to play Smeagol. The story is set before the events of The Hobbit films and The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on the period when Gollum first came into possession of the One Ring. Ian McKellen is set to return as Gandalf.

So while the dream of an extended-extended edition may officially be over, the future of Middle-earth is still looking exciting. Would I have watched 15 hours of The Lord of the Rings if it existed? You bet your ass, I would!