Growing up in the late 1990s or early 2000s, one could watch as trilogies flooded the world of cinema — everything from “The Matrix” trilogy, the “Star Wars” trilogy and of course the “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. In 2001, the first “The Lord of the Rings” movie was released and in 2012, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” came out. Along with the revival of “The Matrix: Resurrections,” we can also now see a revival of “The Lord of the Rings” with a soon-to-be-released anime film adaption called “War of Rohirrim.”
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote both “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” “The Lord of the Rings” was also originally intended to be released in one volume but was released in three parts from 1954 to 1955 instead. The series is so popular that it has been translated into 38 languages and is regularly referenced in pop culture; fans have also created many societies dedicated to Tolkien’s work and universities are starting to offer literature classes based solely on “The Lord of the Rings.”
“The Hobbit,” published in 1937, was a children’s story that covered the events prior to “The Lord of the Rings.” The book is still popular and is considered a classic in children’s literature. It has never gone out of print and like its sequel has received many adaptations for radio, stage, video games and more. While the novel for “The Hobbit” is one volume, the film received three films to tell the full story — perhaps appropriate, as Tolkien’s film adaptations are known to be lengthy, with “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” clocking in at 201 minutes.
Tolkien was born in 1892 in South Africa but moved to England with his mother and younger brother after the death of his father in 1896. Tolkien’s parents were English; however, the Tolkien name was thought to have originated from Germany — notably, many German fairy tales can be considered to have influenced Tolkien’s work. Tolkien received several degrees and is regarded as an academic scholar, but like many other men in his time, he joined the first world war and was sent to France in 1916. Many say both “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” are heavily influenced by his experiences during the war. Both novels are regarded as Tolkien’s most famous but they are not his only works; the author has written plenty of other stories and poems. In fact, his son Christopher Tolkien published a few of his father’s unfinished works posthumously, one being “The Silmarillion,” which is known for having more stories about Middle Earth and its inhabitants.
Since Tolkien only wrote and released two stories for “The Lord of the Rings” universe, fans may be wondering where “War of Rohirrim” comes into play and how. The “War of Rohirrim” screenplay was written by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, both co-creators of “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” Neither Peter Jackson nor Fran Walsh, filmmakers for “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” respectively, will join the project. However, Philippa Boyens, who helped co-write Jackson’s films, has signed on as a consultant. The story is said to take place before the “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy but after “The Hobbit.” The film itself will tell the story of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan.
It is crucial to note that “War of Rohirrim” is not connected to the Amazon “The Lord of the Rings” TV series that is currently in the works. The “Lord of the Rings” TV series is set to be released in September 2022 and is based on Tolkien’s stories from before “The Lord of the Rings.”
The “War of Rohirrim” film will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama, a Japanese anime director who is known for “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” and “Eden of the East.” Kamiyama is teaming up with Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema to release “War of Rohirrim.” The film is being animated by Sola Entertainment, who has previously worked on “Blade Runner: Black Out 2022” and “Ultraman.”
The Kingdom of Rohan may be known to fans of “The Lord of the Rings” universe; however, after 20 years some may need a reminder. Rohan plays a major role in “The Two Towers” and “Return of the King.” The Rohirrim, the people of Rohan, are known for their skills as horsemen and warriors. In “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, King Theoden and Karl Urban Eomer play an important role, as Karl Urban Eomer leads the people of Rohan into battle alongside Gandalf.
The film is expected to tell of how Helm Hammerhand was pushed out of his lands along with his people after Wulf united with the Dunlendings to overthrow him. The Dunlendings helped Wulf due to a grudge they held for over two centuries after being kicked off their land by the previous Rohirrim king, Eorl the Young. In the war, Hammerhand loses his son and the heir to the throne, and later his younger son while camped in hiding. Gondor, a kingdom that Rohirrim has a strong alliance with, is unable to help, and so Hammerhead is lost in the long winter. The war ends when Hammerhand’s nephew Frealaf Hildeson becomes King of Rohan and waits out the winter until Gondor is finally able to help, turning the war in their favor.
The film does not have any relation to the plot of “The Lord of the Rings” and so none of the famous characters in the trilogy will be featured. The film is another side story that hopes to give more backstory to the land and people of Middle Earth to continue stoking the flames of the series’s fandom.
Not much more is known about “War of Rohirrim.” The film is yet to have a release date or a cast but the making of the film was announced in 2021, so hopefully, more information and maybe a trailer are to come fairly soon.
