The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation's upcoming anime film, has added Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Miranda Otto to its voice cast. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama (the Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex TV series), The War of the Rohirrim expands the untold story behind the fortress of Helm's Deep.
Succession actor Brian Cox is set to voice Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan who was known for his great strength and prowess to fight with his fists. Wise (A Walk in the Woods) will voice Hera, the daughter of Helm. Miranda Otto, who starred in The Lord of The Rings movie trilogy, will return to voice Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, and serve as the tale's narrator. Snowpiercer actor Luke Pasqualino will portray Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father.
The voice ensemble cast is rounded out by Lorraine Ashbourne (Netflix’s Bridgerton), Yazdan Qafouri (I Came By), Benjamin Wainwright (BBC One’s World on Fire), Laurence Ubong Williams (Gateway), Shaun Dooley (Netflix’s The Witcher), Michael Wildman (Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw), Jude Akuwudike (Beasts of No Nation), Bilal Hasna (BBC’s Sparks) and Janine Duvitski (ITV’s Benidorm).
Although The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a standalone story,—it acts as a companion piece to New Line's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Story and artistic elements will be woven throughout the film reconnecting fans to the wonder of Middle-earth.
“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," Carolyn Blackwood, Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, and Richard Brener, President and Chief Creative Officer, New Line Cinema, said in a joint statement when the film was first announced in 2021. "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.”
Animation work on the film is being done by Sola Entertainment. Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) penned the screenplay with Oscar-winner Philippa Boyens — from the screenwriting team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies — servicing as a consultant.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is slated to release in theaters worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures on April 12, 2024.