[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

I think that the LOTR movies will always be remembered. If we leave aside whatever problems there are in translation from page to screen, what we are left with is a set of three excellent movies: remarkably acted, beautifully shot, and well-written (for the most part). They gathered a huge following and broke box-office records. Return of the King made an unprecedented sweep of the Oscars. The special effects were groundbreaking. I just don't see any way that the movies will be forgotten. Perhaps they'll fade over time, but I don't think that something so immensely popular will just disappear.

I'm not sure that LOTR will ever become part of the common consciousness the way that Star Wars is, in spite of being (in my opinion) much better. Star Wars is the series that everyone has seen (though opinions on it vary widely)...But will it ever reach the point of being so easily recognizable, from the music to the faces to the script? I doubt it. I think that Star Wars is much easier to just sit down and watch. It's fluffy entertainment. It's not too serious, or too long, or too intense. LOTR, on the other hand, is a difficult undertaking for the average person: Each movie is a near-4-hour marathon. It's deep, lengthy, powerful, and emotionally complex.

I'm not saying the average person can't enjoy LOTR...However, the age of the LOTR following is probably much older than that of the Star Wars following. Seven and eight-year-olds love Star Wars. So do their older siblings and parents. However, I would hesitate before showing LOTR to a 7 or 8 year-old. Star Wars is a movie series that families can enjoy together...LOTR, not so much. That factor alone will probably make it impossible for LOTR to gain the same status as Star Wars.