Warner Brothers released thefirst official trailerfor the next major motion picture inThe Lord of the Rings universe, but it may not look how you were expecting. Rather than another live-action entry, The War of the Rohirrim is a fullyanimated feature filmreleasing in theaters on July 13, 2025.
While thefirst adaptationsof Tolkien’s works were animated, it was Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed live-action trilogy that fully captured the spirit of those iconic novels. Now, however, WB has teamed up with legendary anime director Kenji Kamiyama to craft a prequel set 183 years before Jackson’s trilogy focused on Helm Hammerhand, the former ruler of Rohan, in a desperate fight for survival against the Dunlendings.
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Back to Middle-Earth
Anime-style
Taking the helm for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is the famed anime director Kenji Kamiyama whose works include Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Blade Runner: Black Lotus. This first trailer shows he still has a keen eye for directing impeccably animated characters and action.
The trailer showcases some familiar locations from the film in a new animated style that remains faithful to the vision of Jackson’s adaptation. We see the basics of the plot, as Hera, Helm’s daughter, is arranged to marry the prince of Dunland. However, when she and her father refuse the offer, Helm kills the king of Dunland over the dispute and brings the two families to war.
Facing a seemingly impossible force, Hera steps up to be the hope her people need.
While production began prior to their involvement, Phillippa Boyens who co-wrote The Lord of the Rings trilogy, became a writer for The War of the Rohirrim in 2021 and Peter Jackson himself became an executive producer earlier this year. While the film was always meant to be cannon to Jackson’s trilogy, the involvement of the original creators has added more credibility to the film than it might otherwise have.
This story was inspired by the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, but there were many aspects left for Boyens and the writers to add their own creative flair. Specifically, the team was inspired by the unnamed daughter of Helm and wanted to explore what that character’s arc would look like. Speaking toPeople Magazine, Boyens stated “We know Helm has a daughter, and we know that she was central to the conflict that happened. But myself, and especially screenwriter Phoebe Gittins, were drawn to her. We could feel the weight of being that unnamed daughter, which immediately piqued our interest: Who was she? How did she live?”
In terms of star power, The War of the Rohirrim spares no expense. Helm Hammerhand is voiced by Brian Cox, Hera by Gaia Wise, and the prince of Dunland, Wulf, by Luke Pasdqualino to name a few. The only returning actor from The Lord of the Rings is Miranda Otto as Eowyn who will serve as the film’s narrator.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will be released in theaters on July 23, 2025, as an official prequel to the Lord of the Rings.
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