How this calculator works
Reading time is the total page count divided by your reading speed, and viewing time is the sum of the film runtimes for the edition you choose. Dividing each by the time you can give it per day and rounding up gives the number of days, because a partial session still uses that day. A combined marathon adds the two day counts, in whichever order you prefer. The page counts are inputs rather than fixed facts because editions differ by hundreds of pages in total, and the extended films add roughly an hour each to the first two and more to the third.
Formula
Reading hours = total pages / pages per hour. Reading days = reading hours / reading time per day, rounded up. Viewing hours = sum of chosen film runtimes / 60. Viewing days = viewing hours / viewing time per day, rounded up. Total days = reading days + viewing days. Finish date = start date + (total days - 1) calendar days.
Worked example
With The Hobbit included, 310 + 432 + 416 + 464 = 1,622 pages at 40 pages an hour is 40.55 hours, or 41 days at one hour a day. The six theatrical films run 1,032 minutes, which is 17.2 hours and 6 days at three hours a day. The combined marathon needs 47 days and, starting on 1 November, finishes on 17 December.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I read the books or watch the films first?
Either works. Books first preserves the reveals and gives you the fuller story before the adaptations condense it. Films first is gentler if the books feel daunting, and it makes the extra book material feel like a bonus rather than a change.
Why are page counts inputs?
The Hobbit is around 300 pages in most editions, while the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings run from roughly 400 to 470 pages each, and larger print or annotated editions can be much longer. Entering your own copy keeps the reading estimate honest.
How much longer are the extended editions?
The Fellowship of the Ring grows from 178 to 228 minutes, The Two Towers from 179 to 235 and The Return of the King from 201 to 263. The Hobbit extended editions add between 13 and 30 minutes each. Runtimes can vary slightly between releases.
Does the schedule account for rest days?
No. It assumes you use your full daily reading or viewing time every day. If you only read on some days, lower the daily figure to the average across the week, or treat the result as a minimum.