Exploring the connections between the War of the Rohirrim, the Peter Jackson trilogy, and The Rings of Power series
The anticipated Rohirrim film does not appear to be a standalone venture following Jackson’s film trilogy and Prime Video’s The Rings of Power series. Set approximately 200 years before the original trilogy, this animated project focuses on a specific event where the rings of energy span thousands of years.
A bridge between two eras
War of the Rohirrim connects to the Jackson trilogy through shared production companies and returning actors, as a companion piece and prequel. In contrast, War of the Rohirrim is not connected to Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power series due to complex rights issues.
Directed by anime industry heavyweight Kenji Kamiyama, known for his work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Blade Runner: Black Lotus, this film promises to delight Tolkien and anime fans alike.
A new perspective on Middle Earth
With this new movie on the way, questions abound about this movie’s connection to Jackson’s movies and the Ring of Power TV series. The Rohirrim film, the animated Lord of the Rings, tells the story of Helm’s Iron Hand and the founding of Helm’s Deep in a battle between the people of Rohan and the Dunlending army. This work will be the first animated film in the Tolkien universe to be released in theaters since Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord of the Rings in 1978.
Differences and similarities with The Rings of Power
In a market saturated with content about Tolkien’s universe, driven by Prime Video’s Ring of Power series, the relationship of this new animated film to other JRR Tolkien adaptations is not necessarily clear. Its premise immediately invites one to think of a ring of power, but the supposed connection becomes complicated upon further investigation of the team behind the film. War of the Rohirrim’s similarities and differences with the Prime Video series and the Jackson trilogy require detailed analysis.
Complex rights to JRR Tolkien’s work meant that War of the Rohirrim was not connected to Prime Video’s The Ring of Power series. Amazon owns the rights to television adaptations of Tolkien’s Middle-earth works, while the rights to produce films from his universe for theatrical release belong to Warner Bros.
A definite connection to the original trilogy
Confirmed elements of the upcoming War of the Rohirim film indicate that the film is connected to Jackson’s trilogy, which includes The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003). The biggest clue that the works are connected is their joint production company; Warner Bros. and New Line Studios, behind the Jackson trilogy, are also producing this new film. Additionally, the film will bring back a member of the Lord of the Rings cast, providing continuity with Jackson’s films. Miranda Otto will reportedly reprise her role as Eoin to become the narrator in the upcoming film.
Although The Ring of Power and the War of the Rohirrim predate the events of the original trilogy, they occupy very different places in the timeline of Middle-earth. We just have to wait to see the final result and know where and how to classify the film.