Celebrating twenty years since it first stole the hearts and minds of millions across the world, Warner Bros. Animation and New Line Cinema are set to return to the world of The Lord of the Rings with The War of the Rohirrim!
Touted as a prequel set in the same universe as Peter Jackson’s iconic take on the books, this anime-styled film is expected to visit the past of Rohan, exploring the years of Helm Hammerhand himself–and, possibly, the iconic location of Helm’s Deep. While the time period of the film makes it unlikely that we’ll see many returning cast member (excepting Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, and Elrond), it remains to be seen which actors will be attached to the project.
Twenty years after delivering the award-winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, based on the iconic books by J.R.R. Tolkien, New Line Cinema has partnered with Warner Bros. Animation to produce an original anime feature directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama that will plunge fans into a legendary battle that helped shape Middle-earth and set the stage for the epic adventures brought to life in “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy.
This news of course ties in well on the cusp of Amazon’s own take on the Tolkienverse with a live-action series set to debut on the streaming platform.
Though, given the love for the Rohirrim from fans, this just might overshadow Amazon’s efforts for a while.
The Rohirrim were first introduced in 2002’s The Two Towers and were key to the plot in the movie as well as the 2003 sequel The Return of the King. Fan favourite characters such as King Theoden, Eowyn, and Eomer, all of the Rohirrim, and one of the more memorable sets, Helm’s Deep, seems to be the basis of this animated feature.
Fans know Helm’s Deep as the stage for one of the greatest battles ever put to film and, with many of the same creative visionaries involved and the brilliant Kenji Kamiyama at the helm, we couldn’t be more excited to deliver a fresh vision of its history that will invite global audiences to experience the rich, complex saga of Middle-earth in a thrilling new way.
– Carolyn Blackwood, COO of Warner Bros. Pictures
Currently, little is known beyond the film being led by director Kenji Kamiyama, visionary behind the Ghost in the Shell series, and the recent Ultraman 2019. Though, given Kamiyama’s filmography, fans are surely in for a treat!