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Director Peter Jackson said he was proud of the films - but felt "sadness" at the end of the seven-year project.

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Liv Tyler was a glamorous star of the night. She said the reaction from the fans was "sweet".

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Sir Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf, said he had been told it was the "biggest crowd there has ever been for the premi�re of a film".

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The biggest cheers of the night were for Viggo Mortensen, who plays Aragorn. The actor was also a star of the Wellington premi�re.

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Billy Boyd, who plays Pippin, has a much bigger roles in the third film, as a defender of Gondor.

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Fellow hobbit star Dominic Monaghan mysteriously arrived with a cardboard cut-out of TV presenter Fern Britten.

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Sean Astin - hobbit Sam in the film - appeared with his wife Christine. Sam becomes one of the focal points of The Return of The King.

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Andy Serkis, who plays Gollum, came with his own ring. The film has scenes where Serkis plays the devious ringbearer without computer manipulation.

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Annie Lennox, who sings the film's theme tune, turned up to meet the crowds.

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Another fantasy star made an appearance - Emily Watson, who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter films. The third is due to be released next year.

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It was not just actors from the film who made the event. Rock star Alice Cooper, fresh from a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, also appeared.