Following the success of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series, an anime prequel titled The War of the Rohirrim is set to release later this year.
At the end of August, fans of The Lord of the Rings can look forward to the second season of The Rings of Power. But that’s not the only tale from Middle-earth arriving in 2024. A new prequel film, The War of the Rohirrim, is also headed to theaters.
Warner Bros. recently unveiled the official trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an anime film scheduled for release on December 13. This movie serves as a direct prequel to Peter Jackson’s iconic live-action trilogy, taking viewers back to Helm’s Deep, two centuries before the events of the original films, according to Variety.
The anime will feature epic battle scenes with war elephants, giant eagles, and the voice of Brian Cox, who brings to life the main character, Helm Hammerhand. Helm is the King of Rohan and the founder of the fortress located in the valley. This very fortress will be the site of one of Middle-earth’s most famous battles, depicted in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The film is directed by renowned Japanese anime creator Kenji Kamiyama.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating this anime adaptation, as shown by the trailer’s success on YouTube. Within just 12 hours of its release, the trailer hit trending lists, accumulating over 3 million views. However, reactions have been mixed, with some viewers expressing concerns.
Many fans are unsure whether the chosen animation style suits the Lord of the Rings universe, with some feeling that the visuals appear too generic. As a result, excitement around the film has been somewhat cautious. Nevertheless, expectations remain high, and fans are hopeful that the film will deliver a spectacular experience when it arrives in theaters this December.
In the meantime, season 2 of The Rings of Power is currently in development on Prime Video. Though completely separate from the anime film, both projects promise to expand the rich lore of Middle-earth.
