Two decades ago, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema released Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Now, Warner Bros. and New Line are booking a return trip to Middle-earth. The two studios are fast-tracking an anime film called The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
The War of the Rohirrim will be set in the continuity of Jackson’s films, and take place decades earlier. It will also depict the “life and bloodsoaked times of one of Middle-earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan – Helm Hammerhand.” Additionally, it will expand upon “the untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.
Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) will direct the film, from a screenplay by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. Addiss and Matthews previously collaborated on Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Philippa Boyens, one of Jackson’s co-writers on The Hobbit and LOTR trilogies, is also involved as consultant.
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“All of us at New Line feel a deep affinity for the extraordinary world J.R.R. Tolkien created,” said Warner Bros.’ Carolyn Blackwood and New Line’s Richard Brener in a joint statement. “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 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.”
Sola Entertainment has also signed on to animate the film. Voice casting is currently underway.
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Recommended Reading: J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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