Since their rise to popularity in the 1960s, the "Lord of the Rings" books have been an enduring cult success, revered by a fiercely faithful and steadily growing fan following which scrupulously guarded their integrity. Since the release of the film trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" has become a global brand. Its public presence exceeds that of any other literature and its commercial potential seems limitless, evident not just in the unsurpassed box office success and critical acclaim for the films, but also in the many fringe benefits and spin-offs. "The Lord of the Rings: Popular Culture in Global Context" takes the release of the film trilogy as a point of departure for an overview of the international impact of "The Lord of the Rings" in a range of cultural environments (the US, the UK, New-Zealand, and Europe).

This anthology analyses the merchandising, box office figures, distribution, critical reception, fan following, and cult status of the films, and focuses on how the different faces of the phenomenon, like the trailers, DVD editions, websites, computer games, music, location tours, and even its unlikely erotic spin-offs contributed to making "The Lord of the Rings" the most publicly recognised brand image of the 21st century so far.