Decades before Peter Jackson’s live action Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi rendered the epic in stunning animation. (Rotoscope is cool, huh?) Now, a new project from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. The Extensive History of JRR Tolkien to animated form. And this time, they’re going the anime route. This trip to Middle Earth will be The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim, promoted by filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama. And now, the first voice released for Lord of the Rings The anime has been revealed, along with more story details, early concept art for the film, and the film’s release date. It was even announced that the story will be narrated by Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan.
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Synopsis and stars
Miranda Otto reprises her role as Éowyn in The War of the Rohirrim. She serves as the film’s narrator as she tells Rohan’s story. Alongside Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise and Luke Pasqualino were cast as the protagonists of the Lord of the Rings anime. Cox will voice protagonist Helm Hammerhand. Wise will voice his daughter Hera. And Pasqualino will voice Wulf, the supposed antagonist.
A press release describes the new film as an exploration of the “untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.” The material adds that this feature will “deepen[e] into the life and bloody times of one of Middle Earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan – Hammerhand Helm.” AND Deadline further shares that this Lord of the Rings the anime will take place 183 before the events revealed in Lord of the Rings films.
Concept art for the anime film ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM’.
The film is set 183 years before the events of the original LOTR trilogy and will portray the bloody saga behind Helm’s Deep. pic.twitter.com/39zWom08ra
-DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 15, 2022
DeadlineThe article also reveals more about The War of the Rohirrimplot. He notes that “A sudden attack by Wulf, an intelligent and ruthless lord of Dunlending seeking revenge for his father’s death, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand at the ancient fortress of Hornburg – a mighty fortress that later will be destroyed. It came to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Hera, the daughter of Helm, must muster the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy bent on her total destruction.”
Conceptual art of Lord of the Rings anime film
The concept art below, from Weta Workshop, certainly hints at those bloody times. That Olyphant doesn’t look like he’s there for a good hug.
Helm, the ninth king of Rohan, was famously defeated—but not killed—in the Crossings of Isen. However, he would only survive another year, after a long siege alongside his brother. Despite the defeat, Helm maintained a fierce reputation; it was even thought that he would somehow survive after the official decree of his death. You can check out the rest The War of the RohirrimConcept art below.
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Director and other cast
The War of the RohirrimThe anime’s director, Kamiyama, has been infusing the world of anime with color and history since the 1980s. Among his most notable credits, we find several Ghost in the Shell series as well as the 2019 Ultraman Show.
The film’s additional cast includes Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna and Janine Duvitski.
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Release date of
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim will debut in theaters on December 13, 2024. Currently, Warner Bros. Rohirrim as an independent story; as such, we shouldn’t necessarily expect a trilogy born from this project. But given what The Hobbit Originally it was just supposed to be a movieMaybe we don’t want to say anything either.
Originally published on June 10, 2021 with reporting by M. Arbeiter.
