The Return of the King was released on December 17, 2003 and shortly became one of the most critically acclaimed films and also the greatest box-office successes of all time. Again, if we go to the history we will hardly find any other film which had such success like The Return of the King! The film bagged all the eleven Academy Awards it was nominated for. In this regard it competes only with Titanic and Ben-Hur for most Academy Awards ever won. The Return of the King also won the Academy Award for the Best Picture, it should be remembered in this respect that this is the only fantasy film in the recorded history to have this award. Again, in respect of success it has also become the second highest grossing movie in the international spectrum of all time behind Titanic, unadjusted for inflation. To sustain the success the Special Extended Edition of The Return of the King, containing 50 more minutes of footage, was released on DVD on December 14, 2004. The Return of the King initiates with a flashback of how Deagol found the One Ring while fishing, And Smeagol murdered him for that, followed by his transformation to Gollum. The film then returns to the present story with Gollum taking Frodo and Sam to Minas Morgul. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, Theoden and Eomer meet up with Merry, Pippin and Treebeard at Isengard, but under the control of the Ents. However, after a brief negotiation with Saruman, the evil wizard, they decide to return to Edoras, where they are found to celebrate the recent victory at Helm's Deep before they begin to plan their next move. At this juncture they are found to recover the palantir. Meanwhile, the curiosity of Pippin gets the better of him at Edoras, and he looks into it. Through the palantir, Sauron reveals his flagitious plan to destroy Minas Tirth, the capital of Gondor. Gandalf rides off to Minus Tirth with Pippin to earn the current ruler of Sauron's plans. In Rivendell, Arwen has a vision of her son with Aragorn and convinces Elond to reforge the sword, Narsil that with its sharpness got the finger of Sauron long ago. On the other hand, Sam also overhears the treacherous plan of Gollum to kill the hobbits. Thus as the movie approaches numerous more characters and events get revealed, making the story line more complex but under the guiding principle of the final victory of virtue and justice. This is revealed when Gollum enters the chamber, renders Sam unconscious and leaps on the invisible Frodo. Perceiving the ring of Frodo he seizes it, biting it and the Ring off. Realizing this, Frodo charges at him and the duo fall over the edge. Gollum falls into the lava flow while Frodo hangs onto the edge of the cliff. Sam rescues Frodo as the Ring finally sinks into the lava and is destroyed, starting an immense eruption. Sam rescues Frodo as the Ring finally sinks into the lava and gets destroyed, starting an immense eruption. The Barad-dur collapses and the Orcs are killed in the ensuing shockwave and earthquakes. Frodo and Sam are stranded and surrounded by lava until Gandalf arrives with the Eagles. They awake in Minas Tirith, reuniting with their friends. Finally, Aragro is crowne as the new King, heralds the new age of peace,and gets reunited with Arwen. Frodo leaves his account of the story to Sam, who peacefuly continues his family life.