The Lord of the Rings is considered by many to be one of the greatest fantasy stories of all time. In the years since its publication, JRR Tolkien’s fantasy novel has inspired numerous stories set in the fantasy universe of Middle-earth, told in a variety of media from films to television series to video games.
In just a few months we will finally see what Middle Earth looks like as an anime. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an anime original film set to hit theaters this holiday season. Ahead of the theatrical release, Warner Bros. has given us a first look – and the trailer does not disappoint.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim takes place 183 years before the events of the original film trilogy. It tells the story of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan, and his family, who defend their kingdom against an army of Dunlendings. The synopsis reads:
A sudden attack by Wulf, a cunning and ruthless Dunlending lord bent on avenging his father’s death, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient fortress of Hornburg – a mighty fortress later known as Helm’s Deep. In an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy bent on their total destruction.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama, who is best known for directing Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex Anime television series, Ghost in the Shell: 2nd appearance of SACand the television film Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone Complex – Solid State Society. He also directed the anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus starring Shinji Aramaki, which aired on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim from November 2021 to February 2022.
Suffice it to say, The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim was in very good hands with Kamiyama, and you can see that in the trailer above. Working alongside Kamiyama is an incredibly talented group, including the team of creative staff led by The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Oscar winners Alan Lee and Richard Taylor as well as respected Tolkien illustrator John Howe.
The film’s producer is Oscar winner Philippa Boyens, from the screenwriting team behind The Lord of the Rings And The Hobbit Trilogies, along with Jason DeMarco and Joseph Cho. Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Sam Register, Carolyn Blackwood and Toby Emmerich serve as executive producers
The talented voice actors include Brian Cox (“Consequence”) as Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan; Gaia Wise (“A Walk in the Woods”) as his daughter Héra; and Luke Pasqualino (Snowpiercer) as Wulf. Miranda Otto takes over her role from The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as Éowyn, shieldmaiden of Rohan, who acts as the narrator of the story. The voice ensemble also includes Lorraine Ashbourne (Netflix’ Bridgerton), Yazdan Qafouri (“I passed by”), Benjamin Wainwright (World in flames), Laurence Ubong Williams (“Goal”), Shaun Dooley (The Sorcerer), Michael Wildman (Fast and Furious presents: Hobbs & Shaw”), Jew Akuwudike (Beasts without a nation), Bilal Hasna (Spark) and Janine Duvitski (“The hotel is located in Benidorm, just a 10-minute walk from the beach.”).
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will be released internationally on December 11, 2024, followed by a nationwide release on December 13, 2024.
