The Lord of the Rings is considered by many to be one of the greatest fantasy stories ever written. In the years since its release, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel has sparked numerous stories set in the fantasy universe of Middle-earth, told through various forms of media from movies to television series to video games.
In just a few months, we'll finally get to see what Middle-earth looks like as an anime. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an original anime feature set to hit theaters this holiday season. Ahead of its theatrical release, Warner Bros. has given us our first look — and the trailer doesn't disappoint.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is set 183 years before the events of the original trilogy of films. It tells the story of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary king of Rohan, and his family as they defend their kingdom against an army of Dunlendings. The synopsis reads:
A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg— a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim is directed by award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama, best known for directing the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime television series, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, and the television movie Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society. He also directed the anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus with Shinji Aramaki, which aired from November 2021 to February 2022 on Crunchyroll and Adult Swim.
Suffice it to say, The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim was in very good hands under Kamiyama, and it shows in the trailer above. Working alongside Kamiyama is an incredibly talented group that includes the team of creative collaborators returning from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Oscar winners Alan Lee and Richard Taylor, along with esteemed Tolkien illustrator John Howe.
The film is produced by Oscar winner Philippa Boyens, from the screenwriting team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies, alongside Jason DeMarco and Joseph Cho. Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Sam Register, Carolyn Blackwood and Toby Emmerich serve as executive producers
The talented voice cast stars Brian Cox (“Succession”) 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 is reprising her role from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy as Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, who serves as the tale’s narrator. The voice ensemble also includes Lorraine Ashbourne (Netflix’s Bridgerton), Yazdan Qafouri (“I Came By”), Benjamin Wainwright (World on Fire), Laurence Ubong Williams (“Gateway”), Shaun Dooley (The Witcher), Michael Wildman (Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”), Jude Akuwudike (Beasts of No Nation), Bilal Hasna (Sparks) and Janine Duvitski (“Benidorm”).
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will release in theaters internationally on December 11, 2024, followed by its nationwide release on December 13, 2024.