Lord of the Rings is heading back to the cinema. No, we don’t mean the original trilogy returning to the big screen for a limited time. We’re talking about an entirely new film. The War of the Rohirrim is an upcoming anime film from New Line and Warner Animation. Oscar-winning scribe Philippa Boyens, who wrote the screenplay for Return of the King, will act as a consultant on the project which is being directed by Kenji Kamiyama. According to Deadline, the animation is being done by Sola Entertainment who are responsible for shows like God of High School and the upcoming series Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
The War of the Rohirrim will focus on characters from Tolkien’s extensive appendices. Specifically, the film seems to be centering on the ninth King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, and a legendary battle which took place 250 years prior to the events of New Line’s trilogy. We’ll get to explore the magnificent Horse-Lords, the story behind Helms Deep and delve into the life of Hammerhand.
Carolyn Blackwood of Warner Bros., and Richard Brener of New Line Cinema said All of us at New Line feel a deep affinity for the extraordinary world J.R.R. Tolkien created, so the opportunity to dive back into Middle-earth with the team at Warner Bros. Animation is a dream come true. Fans know Helm’s Deep as the stage for one of the greatest battles ever put to film. 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.”
“This will be yet another epic portrayal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world that has never been told before. We’re honored to partner with much of the incredible talent behind both film trilogies, along with new creative luminaries to tell this story,” said Sam Register, President of Warner Bros. Animation. “And so it begins.”
That’s the wonderful thing about Tolkien’s work. There’s so much content to be enjoyed. This allows for more opportunities to present it in new and exciting formats, including anime. But, too much content can sometimes be a problem and Tolkien’s work definitely isn’t the easiest to digest. So this will be a great chance for fans to gain a deeper yet condensed and simpler understanding of the vast lore.
As both anime and Lord of the Rings fans, we are immensely excited for this upcoming project and incredibly fascinated by this new approach. We never thought that we would be typing the words “anime” and “Lord of the Rings” together. But here we are… An anime film set in MIddle Earth. Bring it on.
Are you excited for The War of the Rohirrim? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to check out more Lord of the Rings news.
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