Warner Bros Animation has confirmed a Lord of the Rings anime film, and alongside all the consequent buzz, also mentioned (among other tidbits) that it will star Helm Hammerhand’s daughter Hèra. The news was laced with other revealing information, such as a December 2024 release, a two and a half-hour length, Peter Jackson as executive producer, and more.
The announcement of the Lord of the Rings anime film came Tuesday at the Annecy Animation Festival, including a short trailer showing the animation style of the production and some plot details, such as Wulf, a Dunlending lord, seeking to bring down the council. Undoubtedly, Warner will be announcing more details than this ahead of the launch due later this year, with a theatrical release in North America on December 13 and an international release on December 11.
Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers for this film.
The Lord of the Rings anime film has been confirmed with several details
The Annecy Animation Festival took place this Tuesday, June 11, and that is where it was confirmed that the Lord of the Rings anime film is a reality, featuring the collaboration of Peter Jackson with director Kenji Kamiyama, mostly known for his several contributions to the Ghost in the Shell anime franchise and doing backgrounds for the iconic Akira film. As of this writing, the film is expected to open in North America on December 13 and internationally on December 11.
The film is called Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and takes place 200 years prior to the events of The Hobbit story, focusing on Helm Hammerhand’s daughter Hèra and her battle against Wulf, the powerful Dunlending lord. There was a small trailer at the festival, showcasing Wulf's discord with the council and the upcoming conflict Hèra will have to deal with.
What to expect from this production
According to Kamiyama, this Lord of the Rings anime film has a "very powerful story," and the people involved in the festival stated that they want to capture his own approach to animation rather than copy what the Peter Jackson movies made. This sentiment was echoed by Andy Serkis, the actor who played Gollum in the Jackson films and who is going to reprise the role in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
As of this writing, there are not a lot of details surrounding the film, but that is very likely to change in the coming weeks as Warner and the people involved reveal more about the project.
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