New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Anime Finally Streaming on Max This February!

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In a shift from its previous struggles in animation, “Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim” will soon make its debut on the streaming service Max, following disappointing box office numbers. This upcoming premiere was revealed in a new promo for Max’s February content lineup, which also includes Season 3 of “The White Lotus” and a new animated series from creator Joseph Bennett titled “Common Side Effects.” The specific release date for “War of the Rohirrim” has yet to be announced, but it is expected to stream towards the end of February.

The War of the Rohirrim isn’t derived from an entire book; instead, it was developed from two pages of appendices in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, this anime movie portrays the Battle of Hornburg, where Helm Hammerhand (portrayed by Brian Cox) confronts a fierce warlord named Wulf, who aims to avenge his father. Simultaneously, his daughter Hera (Gaia Wise) encounters an entirely fresh peril that endangers all of Middle Earth. The official summary goes as follows:

(Note: I’ve adjusted the synopsis to make it more conversational and easier to read.)

In a surprising assault led by Wulf, a merciless Dunlending ruler, Helm Hammerhand and his folk are compelled to put up a brave final stand at the ancient fortress of Hornburg. As the circumstances grow more dire, it falls upon Helm’s daughter, Héra, to rally the resistance against an adversary who aims for complete annihilation.

Why Did ‘War of the Rohirrim’ Fail?

Instead of saying The War of the Rohirrim was the crucial prelude to the highly anticipated The Hunt for Gollum on the big screen, it could be phrased as: The War of the Rohirrim wasn’t necessarily the pivotal event audiences were eagerly waiting for prior to The Hunt for Gollum‘s premiere next year. The film received mixed reviews, with a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critic Julian Roman, writing for MovieWeb, was among those who praised the movie. He stated that “The War of the Rohirrim” primarily excels as an anime installment that will captivate die-hard Tolkien fans. However, he also pointed out that the extended narrative of a heroic princess’ struggle to defend the Kingdom of Rohan is overly prolonged. The 134-minute runtime feels noticeable, with its pacing resembling a cinematic roller coaster, featuring many drawn-out sections.

Although the audience appreciated the film, giving it an 82% rating, they didn’t show strong interest in watching it at the cinemas. Throughout its theatrical run, the movie earned only around $20 million globally, falling short of its projected budget of $30 million. Consequently, it might take some time before Warner Bros. consider revisiting The Lord of the Rings in animated form again. In the meantime, there are several live-action movies under development. The upcoming one is Andy Serkis’ The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for a theater release sometime in 2026.

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2025-01-27 18:35