The Lord of the Rings Trilogy did many things for the film industry. From state of the art special effects, to unprecedented behind the scene access, to groundbreaking extended cuts that the fans demanded, the Lord of the Rings opened up an entire new world to Hollywood, one that would strengthen the bond between fans and studios by giving them what they want, but also by padding the pockets of the studios with well earned money.
But the most special thing that the Lord of the Rings created was that it gave a new generation of movie goers, and fanboys alike, their "Star Wars". It would define a generation and give them something that was forever, completely their own.