---
name: "Fran Walsh"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/fran-walsh"
fi1m_id: "fran-walsh"
imdb_id: "nm0909638"
tmdb_id: 126
wikidata_id: "Q116861"
roles: ["Writer","Producer"]
born: "10 January 1959"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-05T03:39:41.004714+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Fran Walsh

## Identity

Fran Walsh

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/fran-walsh
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** fran-walsh
- **IMDb ID:** nm0909638
- **TMDB ID:** 126
- **Wikidata ID:** Q116861
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_Walsh, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116861, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909638/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/126

Writer and producer. Born 10 January 1959 in Wellington, New Zealand.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Producer
- **Born:** 10 January 1959, Wellington, New Zealand
- **Active:** 1994–present
- **Also known as:** Frances Walsh
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 11: 9 writing, 2 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Peter Jackson](https://film.one/person/peter-jackson.md), [Philippa Boyens](https://film.one/person/philippa-boyens.md), [Ian McKellen](https://film.one/person/ian-mckellen.md), [Carolynne Cunningham](https://film.one/person/carolynne-cunningham.md), [Andy Serkis](https://film.one/person/andy-serkis.md), [Barrie M. Osborne](https://film.one/person/barrie-m-osborne.md), [Elijah Wood](https://film.one/person/elijah-wood.md), [Guillermo del Toro](https://film.one/person/guillermo-del-toro.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 3 Oscars (3 won · 5 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as writer, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 84 (1), 2000s 78 (5), 2010s 64 (4), 2020s 55 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 71 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Fantasy 8, Action 7, Adventure 7, Drama 3
- **Screen time:** 24 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $6,511m across 9 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_Walsh, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116861, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0909638/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/126

## Coming up

- *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum* (2027-12-15), Producer

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md) (90), [*The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md) (65), [*The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md) (60), [*The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md) (54)
- **Disney+:** [*The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md) (88), [*The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md) (85)
- **Netflix:** [*King Kong*](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md) (81)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*West of Memphis*](https://film.one/film/west-of-memphis.md) (77)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Lovely Bones*](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md) (46)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Fran Walsh is a New Zealand screenwriter and film producer. Born Frances Rosemary Walsh on 10 January 1959 in Wellington, she studied English literature at Victoria University of Wellington.

She is the partner of filmmaker Peter Jackson and has co-written the screenplays for all his films since *Meet the Feebles* (1989). Their early collaboration includes *Heavenly Creatures* (1994), for which they received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Walsh has also contributed as a producer on later projects.

She is best known for her work on the *Lord of the Rings* film trilogy (2001–2003) and the *Hobbit* trilogy (2012–2014), sharing three Academy Awards for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* (2003) in the categories of Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, nzonscreen.com.*

## On Fi1m (11)

### Wrote (9) — the average rests on these

- *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014), Fi1m 54, Screenplay, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md)
- *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013), Fi1m 65, Producer, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md)
- *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* (2012), Fi1m 60, Screenplay, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md)
- *The Lovely Bones* (2009), Fi1m 46, Screenplay, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md)
- *King Kong* (2005), Fi1m 81, Writer, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* (2003), Fi1m 88, Screenplay, Producer, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers* (2002), Fi1m 85, Producer, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Fi1m 90, Producer, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *Heavenly Creatures* (1994), Fi1m 84, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/heavenly-creatures.md)

### Produced (2)

- *The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim* (2024), Fi1m 55, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim.md)
- *West of Memphis* (2012), Fi1m 77, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/west-of-memphis.md)

## Complete filmography (24)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum* (2027), Producer, Writer
- *The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim* (2024), Executive Producer — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim.md)
- *Mortal Engines* (2018), Producer, Screenplay
- *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014), Producer, Screenplay — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md)
- *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013), Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md)
- *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* (2012), Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md)
- *West of Memphis* (2012), Producer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/west-of-memphis.md)
- *The Lovely Bones* (2009), Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 46, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md)
- *Crossing the Line* (2008), Executive Producer
- *King Kong* (2005), Producer, Writer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* (2003), Screenplay, Producer, Songs — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers* (2002), Producer, Screenplay — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *Forgotten Silver* (1997), Script Supervisor
- *Jack Brown: Genius* (1996), Writer
- *The Frighteners* (1996), as Passerby (uncredited) · Screenplay, Associate Producer
- *Dirty Creature* (1995), Screenplay, Casting
- *Heavenly Creatures* (1994), Screenplay — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/heavenly-creatures.md)
- *Braindead* (1992), as Mother at Park · Screenplay, Casting
- *Meet the Feebles* (1989), Screenplay
- *The Ray Bradbury Theater: A Sound of Thunder* (1989), Casting
- *Worzel Gummidge Down Under* (1987), series, Writer
- *The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past*, Producer
- *Untitled The Adventures of Tintin Sequel*, Writer

## Gallery

- ![Fran Walsh](https://film.one/media/person/83991/gallery-04580807f127.jpg) Fran Walsh — New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Fran_Walsh_DNZM_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Dame Fran Walsh (right), after her investiture as DNZM, for services to film, by the governor-general, Dame Patsy Reddy, at Government House, Auckland, on 3 Sep (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/83991/gallery-17eb97b9362e.jpg) Dame Fran Walsh (right), after her investiture as DNZM, for services to film, by the governor-general, Dame Patsy Reddy, at Government House, Auckland, on 3 Sep (2019) — New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Fran_Walsh_DNZM_investiture.jpg/1280px-Fran_Walsh_DNZM_investiture.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Fran Walsh](https://film.one/media/person/83991/gallery-dacbc8ab6d61.jpg) Fran Walsh — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 3 won, 5 nominated

- 2005: Best Picture (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- 2004: Best Original Song (won), for *Into the West*
- 2004: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- 2004: Best Picture (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- 2003: Best Picture (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- 2002: Best Picture (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- 2002: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- 1995: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Heavenly Creatures*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 3 won, 2 nominated

- 2004: Best Adapted Screenplay (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- 2004: Best Film (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- 2003: Best Film (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- 2002: Best Film (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- 2002: Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 2003: Best Original Song (won), for *Into the West*

### Other awards — 16 won, 8 nominated

- Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit 2019: Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (won)
- Hugo Awards 2013: Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (nominated), for *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*
- honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington 2005: honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington (won)
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film 2004: Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media 2004: Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (won), for *Into the West*
- Hugo Awards 2004: Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- Hugo Awards 2004: Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (won)
- Nebula Award for Best Script 2004: Nebula Award for Best Script (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture 2004: Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2004: Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film 2003: Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- Hugo Awards 2003: Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- Nebula Award for Best Script 2003: Nebula Award for Best Script (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture 2003: Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2003: Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film 2002: Australian Film Institute Award for Best Foreign Film (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay 2002: Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Hugo Awards 2002: Best Dramatic Presentation (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Nebula Award for Best Script 2002: Nebula Award for Best Script (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2002: Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2002: Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Chlotrudis Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2001: Chlotrudis Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*
- Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit 2001: Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (won)
- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay 1995: Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Heavenly Creatures*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/fran-walsh