While the live-action series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been garnering much attention, there has been a new announcement for the upcoming animated film taking place within the world of Middle-Earth. Warner Bros. Pictures has announced the release date for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the next film entry in The Lord of the Rings series. The original anime feature will be arriving in theaters on April 12, 2024.
Originally announced in June 2021, the upcoming film takes place two hundred years before the novels written by J.R.R Tolkien and tells the untold story of Helm's Deep, the fortress that was home to one of the series' greatest battles, depicted in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The War of the Rohirrim is also set to explore the life of one of Middle-Earth's most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan and the famous fortress' is namesake - Helm Hammerhand.
Kenji Kamiyama is directing the project with Joseph Chou producing through his anime studio, Sola Entertainment. Both are currently working on Adult Swim's Bladerunner: Black Lotus. Executive Producer Philippa Boyens, who was a member of the screenwriting team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, said in a statement, “I’m in awe of the creative talent who have come together to bring this epic, heart-pounding story to life, from the mastery of Kenji Kamiyama to a truly stellar cast. I cannot wait to share this adventure with fans of cinema everywhere.” Other creative team members returning to the project include Oscar winner Richard Taylor and esteemed Tolkien illustrator John Howe.
The writing team for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim are Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, who have written the screenplay based on a script from Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. Animation work has been underway on the project since its announcement last year, though no voice cast has yet been announced, a "comprehensive and exciting voice casting" is set to be announced "imminently." “The ‘Lord of the Rings films took Tolkien’s masterwork to new cinematic heights and inspired a generation," said Toby Emmerich, Chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
It’s a gift to be able to revisit Middle-earth with many of the same creative visionaries and the talented Kenji Kamiyama at the helm. This will be an epic portrayal unlike anything audiences have ever seen.” The film will be distributed theatrically worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will premiere in theaters on April 12, 2024. Check out the concept art below:
