The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim follows the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, as he battles against an army of Dunlendings. The animated film, directed by Kenji Kamiyama, draws inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The House of Eorl” and the Peter Jackson trilogy of movies. Miranda Otto returns as Éowyn, who serves as the narrator and highlights the parallels between her story and that of the new heroine, Héra.
Héra, voiced by Gaia Wise, is a young woman who becomes the hero of the story. Her character is a direct descendant of Fréaláf, who becomes the King of Rohan by the end of the film. Fréaláf is voiced by Laurence Ubong Williams, who praised his character’s nobility and sense of duty.
Wise and Williams discussed the themes of the film, which they believe resonate with audiences today. Wise praised the film’s portrayal of women’s voices being heard, saying, “It’s such a rich story. The script is so beautiful. It was very much about a woman’s voice, or a young girl’s voice, that is silenced at the beginning of the film and is finally heard.” Williams echoed this sentiment, saying, “The slogan for men should just be, ‘Be more like Fréaláf.'”
The film is set 183 years before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy and tells the story of Helm Hammerhand’s last stand against the Dunlendings. The war leads to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep, a mighty fortress that will later become a significant location in the original trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is now playing in theaters.