The New York Film Critics Circle awarded The Return of the King its Best Picture Award at the 2003 Awards Ceremony, hosted by Andrew Johnston, chair of the organization at that time, who called it "a masterful piece of filmmaking."
The New York Film Critics Circle memberi The Return of the King Best Picture Award pada 2003 Awards Ceremony, dengan tuan rumah Andrew Johnston, ketua organisasi tersebut pada waktu itu, yang memanggilnya "potongan mahir dari pembuatan film."