The greater world of Middle Earth is one of fiction’s greatest blessings — no matter how deep you dive into Tolkien’s world, there’s always more The Lord of the Rings lore and history to discover. Now, over two decades after Peter Jackson’s iconic trilogy, a new tale set in Middle Earth is about to hit the big screen — The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Not only will this original, anime feature visually showcase the world you already know and love in a way like never before, but The War of the Rohirrim takes us back in time — almost 200 years before Frodo first saw The One Ring — and tells a story of family bonds and ruthless villainy, while giving you characters you might not have heard of before (and others you already love).
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is also in hands you can trust. The original trilogy’s director Peter Jackson is onboard as producer, so it’s got the ultimate tick of approval. But the movie is also being helmed by legendary anime director Kenji Kamiyama, who has mastered the medium and is using it to tell this epic story.
Before The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim hits the big screen on December 12, here’s what you can expect from this look into Middle Earth’s history like you’ve never seen it.
What exactly is The War of the Rohirrim?
Taking place 183 years before the events of the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The War of the Rohirrim marks an epic battle between the House of Helm Hammerhand and their bitter nemeses, the Dunlendings.
The Dunlending army, led by lord Wulf, invades Rohan in an act of vengeance, as Wulf seeks to avenge his dead father. The act of war leaves the legendary King of Rohan no choice but to fight back in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg. Fans of the original trilogy will recognise this mighty fortress as the iconic Helm’s Deep.
Why we don’t know too much about what happened in this conflict just yet, we can be sure it sets the scene for major events to come, and gives us an insight into one of Tolkien’s most famous reams — the Kingdom of Rohan.
Who are the key players in The War of the Rohirrim?
Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan
Helm Hammerhand is voiced by the legendary Brian Cox, which should tell you everything you need to know about this storied monarch. Strong, fierce and unwavering. After a showdown with Wulf’s father Freca, Rohan only became a bigger target for the Dundenling lord and the rest of his time on throne would be completely engulfed by this conflict. The father to Héra, Helm will need to lead his people to a daring victory against Wulf and his forces.
Wulf, Dunlending Lord
Clever, ruthless and bent on revenge, Wulf (voiced by Luke Pascqualino) is the son of Freca. Following the death of Freca by hand of Helm, Wulf was forced to retreat away from Rohan in the land of Dunland. There, he slowly gathered forces and allies to launch a surprise and sudden attack on Hammerhand and his land, launching The War of the Rohirrim.
Héra, Daughter of Helm Hammerhand
One of Hammerhand’s three children, and his only daughter, Héra, who will be voiced by Gaia Wise, is a hero-in-waiting. She is resourceful and ambitious, and refuses to sit idly by and watch her home destroyed by the likes of Wulf and the Dunlending army.
We don’t know much about Héra, but we do know that she is fiery (with hair to match). In fact, upon assessing just how much danger not only she’s in, but her father and all of Rohan, she looks within herself to help lead the resistance against Wulf’s forces.
Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan
Marking one of the returning characters any fans of the original trilogy, Éowyn appears in The War of the Rohirrim and is, once again, played by the great Miranda Otto. We’ve already watched her slay the Witch-King of Angmar in the Battle of the Pelenor Fields, but in The War of the Rohirrim, she takes on an entirely different role.
In this film, Éowyn is our narrator. She guides the tale and leads us through the complex family and faction relationships that led to this explosive conflict. But, as one of the most infamous faces of Rohan throughout all of Middle-Earth history, who better to do the job?
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim hits cinemas nationwide on December 12.