Sneak peek into 'The Lord of the Rings' animated movie
Warner Bros. Animation and New Line Cinema have unveiled three first-look images from the forthcoming animation film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, this movie is set nearly two centuries before hobbit Frodo Baggins's mission to destroy the One Ring in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The film will narrate the life story of Helm Hammerhand, voiced by Brian Cox (Succession).
Iconic Middle-earth locations and armies teased in images
The newly released images hint at the reappearance of iconic Middle-earth fortresses, Rohan's capital, Edoras, and Helm's Deep. One image portrays an army of soldiers and at least one Mûmakil advancing on Edoras, with a Rohirrim army blocking their way. Another picture seemingly illustrates a Mûmakil breaking through the wooden walls of the Rohan fortress. The third photo showcases Helm himself standing outside the walls of Helm's Deep atop a pile of frozen bodies.
Take a look at these pictures
Visual continuity with Peter Jackson's trilogy maintained
The visual continuity between this anime film and Peter Jackson's live-action trilogy is evident in these images. Edoras appears very similar to its depiction in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the Rohirrim are seen wearing similar armor. This visual consistency is credited to New Line Cinema, the original studio for Jackson's trilogy now owned by Warner Bros., and producer Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote Jackson's LOTR movies.
Star-studded voice cast and release date announced
In addition to Cox, The War of the Rohirrim features a voice cast that includes Michael Wildman, Shaun Dooley, Luke Pasqualino, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Miranda Otto reprising her role as Eowyn from Jackson's trilogy. The film is set to be released on December 13. This anime film is part of a larger effort by Warner Bros. to expand the LOTR franchise. A new live-action feature film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, has been announced for 2026.
More about 'The Hunt for Gollum'
Andy Serkis will both star in and direct Hunt for Gollum Jackson is reportedly deeply involved in the project, along with his writing partners Boyens and Fran Walsh. For those who've still not watched the LOTR trilogy, it is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth and chronicles Baggins's journey with the Fellowship to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.
