And finally, we have the fantasy film that made every nerd’s heart sing. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King also scored eleven Oscars in 2004, and it did something no other movie has done: it won every single category it was nominated for. That’s an 11-for-11, or as I call it, a clean sweep with a side of hobbit feet.
It won Best Picture, Best Director for Peter Jackson, and even Best Makeup for all those wigs and pointy ears. The Academy basically said, “Yeah, this is perfect, we’re going home early.” The film’s ending alone—with like four false endings—proved that even a long goodbye can win you an award.
Geek cred:
This was the first and only fantasy film to win Best Picture until Everything Everywhere All At Once came along in 2026. One small step for hobbits, one giant leap for dragons.
