The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the second film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy that was preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluded with The Return of the King (2003). Continuing the plot of The Fellowship of the Ring, it intercuts three storylines, as Frodo and Sam continue their quest to destroy the One Ring, they meet Gollum, its former owner and continue their journey towards Mordor. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come across the war-torn nation of Rohan as well as the resurrected Gandalf, before fighting at the Battle of Helm's Deep, whilst Merry and Pippin escape capture, meet Treebeard the Ent, and plan an attack on Isengard. Meeting high critical acclaim, it was an enormous box-office success, earning over $900 million worldwide, outgrossing its predecessor, and is currently the 17th highest-grossing film of all time ...