The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimwill be a refreshing addition to the franchise, come what may, but there is a little-understood reason why it was the perfect choice for Warner Bros.The War of the Rohirrimmoviewill tackle the fighting between the people of Rohan - the Rohirrim - and their neighbors, the Dunlendings. It will beThe Lord of the Rings’first anime movie, directed by Kenji Kamiyama. It could be argued that anime is wasted on this movie, with Middle-earth’s most fantastical species absent from the story.
Anime is the perfect format to explore Dwarves, Elves, and Wizards, just some of the high fantasy races that J.R.R. Tolkien pioneered in his 1954 masterpiece,The Lord of the Rings. That is because anime doesn’t have to rely on expensive visual or practical effects. At leastthe 2024War of the Rohirrimmovietrailer confirms that fun fantasy creatures like Mûmakil and nameless things (or Watchers in the Water, perhaps) will get their moment in the movie. But the story’s Rohan focus carries a timeless, universal relevance.
The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim Celebrates Rohan
War Of The Rohirrim Is Set In Third Age Rohan
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimwill be set in the year 2758 of the Third Age in Rohan, if Tolkien’s lore is maintained in the context of the movie. That is 183 years before the events ofPeter Jackson’sThe Hobbitmovies. Including Miranda Otto’s voiceover as Éowyn,the movie’s setting and timing will be familiar enoughto add new relevance to the formerLord of the Ringsmovies. At the same time, the setting and timing will be different enough to avoid contradicting or spoiling the magic created by former movies.
The War of the Rohirrimwill feature the voice talent of Gaia Wise as Héra.
This blank-slate movie will tackle one of Middle-earth’s most glorious colonies and some of its most ancient people. The Rohirrim of Rohan, also known asRohan’s Horse-lords, were Gondor’s allies of old, positioning them as more-than-suitable heroes for aLotRmovie. Éowyn was one ofthe best characters ofThe Lord of the Ringsmovies and book. Meanwhile, her uncle, Théoden, was one of the best book characters, although the movies sold him short.The War of the Rohirrimcan give credit where it is due and celebrate the history of two ofLotR’smost important characters.
Rohan Is The Story Of Humanity In The Lord Of The Rings
Rohan Is The Perfect Choice Of Focus For Warner Bros
Éowyn and Théoden’s brilliance aside, the real reason that picking Rohan as a focal point for the newLord of the Ringsmovie is a great idea is Rohan’s unique meaning and symbolism. Out of all the characters and civilizations inThe Lord of the Rings, Rohan symbolized humanity the most. Aragorn and Boromir may have represented the race of Men in the Fellowship, butGondor and its heroes had Elvish influence, and even more so the Dúnedain.The Rohirrim were inspired by Anglo-Saxons- Tolkien taught this subject at Oxford. These Eorlingas told the story of early English people.
The War Of The Rohirrim Copies One Lord Of The Rings Fan Movie That Was Better Than Expected
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has one storyline that recalls a Lord of the Rings fan movie that was better than anyone expected.
From the noble Edain to the celebrated Northmen, the Rohirrim descended through a line of natives who stuck at Middle-earth even while their Edain relatives were off populating Númenor and befriending Elves.Tolkien clearly felt a strong affinity for the Anglo-Saxons, absorbing and teaching their culture and poetry. Much of the Rohirric language and history was inspired by them inThe Lord of the Rings. Éowyn and Théoden were so compelling because they were flawed, just like the human race they represented, and it is likely that they were very close to Tolkien’s heart.
The War Of The Rohirrim Breaks New Ground With Its Human Villain
The Next Lord Of The Rings Movie Will Explore Human Faults
Adapting “The House of Eorl,” which features no significant Elves or Dwarves,the upcomingWar of the Rohirrimmoviewill break a 23-yearLord of the Ringsvillain trend to posit a human as its antagonist. Men were varied in Tolkien’s world, butthis will be the first time one is the main antagonistin televisedLotR.Lord of the Ringsand the Warner Bros. movies were always primarily concerned with a tenacious supernatural threat, passed down from Morgoth to Sauron to the One Ring. These antagonistic forces provided a cautionary tale about the dangers of pursuing life everlasting.
…audiences won’t be able to escape the accountability of these human villains, giving the movie hard-hitting parable potential.
Sauron and Saruman should operate in the background ofThe War of the Rohirrim, as implied by the book and the trailer’s Orc-related ending. But the movie’s main villains will be Dunlending Men Freca and Wulf.This movie gets right to the heart of what makes Rohan special and uniqueand, therefore, what makes humans human. It will be the first human-centric Middle-earth adaptation, tackling what makes them fail or succeed. Denied retreat into fantasy to a certain extent, modern audiences won’t be able to escape the accountability of these human villains, giving the movie hard-hitting parable potential.
Intriguingly, Tolkien provided a lot of validity for the Dunlendings' cause. What’s more,the Rohirrim King Helm Hammerhandwas no angel.TheWar of the Rohirrimcould bring a bold new level of moral nuanceto Middle-earth, as befits Rohan’s human symbolism. Honoring Tolkien’s Anglo-Saxon avatars in the movie will allow Tolkien’s celebration of English history, language, and culture to shine. With human villains as well,The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimis uniquely positioned to explore the tragic but inspiring interrogation of the human condition that was deeply embedded into Tolkien’s legendarium.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Cast
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.
