Experiencing The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Live In Concert (Sydney, October 2026).
OF ROOTS AND BEGINNINGS
I’ve written over the years about how my journey into Middle-earth began, quite unexpectedly, of an autumn evening in 2001.
I was a young college student back then, in a little city in India, watching MTV after classes, when Enya’s May It Be came on. I was drawn in by the music, the imagery, and the world I glimpsed in that little 3.5 minute video.
I could scarcely have imagined then how far that moment would take me.
A quarter of a century later, here I was in Sydney, listening to the same music that had stirred me all those years back, performed live now by The Metropolitan Orchestra, the Sydney Philharmonia Choir, the Sydney Children’s Choir, and a wonderful ensemble of vocal soloists.
As I sat in the darkened concert hall, I found myself travelling somewhere I hadn’t expected. Not merely back to the familiar lands of Middle-earth, but through the years of my own life, to people and places, friendships and memories, some now distant in both space and time.
For all my years loving these films and their music, the opportunity to experience The Lord of the Rings score performed live had somehow always eluded me. I had attended other Tolkien-inspired productions over the years of course, but never one in which Howard Shore’s magnificent original score was performed live to the very film for which it was written.
And so, despite knowing every familiar melody, every musical passage and lyric, and every moment of the film by heart, this was, in a very real sense for me, a first encounter with The Fellowship of the Ring all over again.
MEMORIES IN MUSIC
Howard Shore’s score has always been, for me, the soul of Peter Jackson’s films.
As most of us can attest from our own experiences, the music doesn’t merely accompany the story. It imparts a layer of something ancient and beautiful passing slowly through time, and beyond time.
There was the gentle, pastoral melody of the Shire, the melancholic strains of Rivendell, the ancient dread of Khazad-dûm, the haunting enchantment of Lothlórien, the alluring notes of the Ring, and so many moments.
Even after all these years, the music retained its power to thrill.
And, on this occasion, to remind…
As the Fellowship emerged from the Mines of Moria, broken by Gandalf’s Fall, I found myself recalling a conversation from many years ago with Aivale Cole, whose extraordinary voice gave that scene its heartbreaking lament in the original film. I had interviewed Aivale for TheOneRing.net as part of a series of interviews celebrating the music of the films. She had spoken of her excitement and nervousness recording with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and shared wonderful recollections of working with Howard Shore and Peter Jackson.
I remembered conversing with Miriam Stockley, whose ethereal voice accompanied the Fellowship into Lothlórien;with Hilary Summers, who sang the deeply moving Gilraen’s Song (featured in the Extended Edition of The Fellowship of the Ring); and with Sheila Chandra, whose haunting performance of The Breath of Life in The Two Towers gave voice to Arwen’s longing for Aragorn.
And then there was a most lovely interview with Plan 9 (David Donaldson, Stephen Roche, and Janet Roddick) who together with David Long, gave Middle-earth so much of its organic character. From the joyous festivities of Bilbo’s birthday party (remember the music for Frodo’s “chicken dance”?) to the haunting Elvish voices heard as Frodo and Sam watch the Wood-elves departing Middle-earth (featured in the Extended Edition of The Fellowship of the Ring), their compositions helped make Tolkien’s imaginary world feel wonderfully real.
Each of these lovely musicians had shared something deeply personal of their creative process behind the music that millions have since come to love.
I was fascinated by their accounts of how they imagined the musical traditions of Middle-earth’s different peoples, and how they each sought to give the different cultures their own distinctive musical identities.
CHANCE MEETINGS
My thoughts also wandered back to New York Comic Con in 2012, where I had the extraordinary pleasure of meeting Howard Shore himself.
I remember how special it felt to meet the composer whose music had accompanied so much of my own journey into Middle-earth.
I was too shy to speak to Howard Shore, though. As I shook his hand, I had the distinct impression he expected me to say something, but all I could manage was a sheepish smile. I couldn’t think of anything to say that would adequately express what his music had meant to me over the years. I can only hope, even after all these years, that my smile conveyed at least something.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Doug Adams that day.
Doug had spent years painstakingly exploring and documenting the score’s intricate themes, musical architecture, and lyrics.
His book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, now in its 16th year of publication, illuminates the extraordinary musical world Shore created. It is still, to me, a masterpiece in itself, and in my opinion, a must-have for any fan of these films and its music, whether serious or casual.
My many conversations and encounters with these remarkable people had become part of my own history with Middle-earth, just as surely as the films themselves had.
And, back then, we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the films.
Now, somehow, we are celebrating their 25th!
Where did all those years go?
THE VOICES THAT CARRY US HOME
Returning to the The Fellowship of the Ring In Concert, a special word must be said for the singers who gave voice to Middle-earth that evening.
While the various choirs lent Shore’s music its grandeur, the solo performances brought a human intimacy to the immensity of it all.
I have always found something particularly poignant about hearing In Dreams sung by a child.
I remember listening to the original recording by Edward Ross all those years ago, when he himself was just a boy. His voice, so pure and wistful, became inseparable from the ending of The Fellowship of the Ring and from my memories of discovering the films.
I found myself wondering where Edward Ross might be now, what paths his life has taken, and whether he knows how many people still carry that song, and his voice, in their memories?
Hearing another young voice sing those familiar notes a quarter of a century later had me pondering… here was this young singer before me in a concert hall, who certainly hadn’t even been born when the original film was released. And yet, there she stood, a little person on a grand stage, giving voice to the same song that had resonated with an entire generation before her.
Perhaps that is one of the loveliest things about the timelessness of these scores… the voices change, the years pass, but the music remains, finding new singers and new listeners, laden with memories as people pass through it.
TheOneRing.net: A FELLOWSHIP OF OUR OWN
The music brought back more than memories of just the films. It reminded me of my years spent on TheOneRing.net since the early 2000s.
Of late nights spent on its forums having long conversations about Tolkien’s works, and friendships forged with people across the world whom I might never have otherwise met.
Of attending New York Comic Con with fellow TORn staffers, sharing in the excitement of being surrounded by people who understood why these stories mattered so deeply to us.
Of the laughter, the discussions, the arguments, the conventions, the anticipation of new films, and the wonderful sense of belonging to a community drawn together by a love of Middle-earth that never needed to be explained.
That is what TheOneRing.net has always meant to me. A fellowship, bound not by a quest, but by the stories we love and the friendships we’ve made along the way.
Some of those friendships have endured. Others belong to different chapters of life, separated now by distance, circumstance, or simply the passage of time. And yet, all are always just a melody away.
How fortunate we are that, every now and then, a familiar melody can bring us home to one another again, even if only in spirit!
ROADS GO EVER ON…
There were so many moments when the music transported me back to a younger version of myself – of ourselves – when so much of life still lay ahead of us, full of possibilities we could scarcely have imagined. And here we are now, living in that very future, even if it isn’t exactly how we imagined it to be.
I wonder if perhaps, as we grow older, we become more conscious of the distance between the people we once were, the people we imagined ourselves to be, and the people we actually have become?
When Enya’s May It Be finally filled the hall, I thought again of that autumn evening in 2001, of the young teen watching MTV, unaware that a song was about to open a door to an extraordinary world.
How strange to think that he and I are, in some ways, still the same person. Small and insignificant, and content to be so.
So much has changed since then. Homes, countries, friendships. The very shape of life itself.
And yet some things have remained remarkably constant. The music. The stories. The memories.
As the final notes of the music faded, I found myself reflecting on how many roads we all must have travelled since the first time we heard these scores.
Tolkien wrote it almost a century ago, and I have learned now that it is a simple truth indeed… roads do go ever on.
Film festival that launched The Lord of the Rings movies fetes Jackson with a special award of recognition.
Elijah Wood was on hand in France this week to present Peter Jackson with the prestigious Palme d’Or from the Cannes film festival, 25 years after the world-altering preview of LOTR films debuted there.
“Warner Bros. was being sold… The media was talking about the gamble was going to fail. So the first film, ‘Fellowship of the Ring,’ was going to come out in December 2001 and so we just finished shooting in December 2000… Bob Shaye decides that he wants to have 20 minutes of our film screen here in Cannes because he wants to change the press’ stories that were going out … Bob Shaye rolled the dice, and so we quickly changed 20 minutes of film, really fast, and we brought that 20 minutes here in 2001 in May, and we did some press in that castle up on the hill and had a party there, and Bob’s great gamble really changed the perception of the film. And for me obviously, it was a life-changing thing. So by the time the film came out there was an anticipation that there wouldn’t have been if not for Cannes.”
In a separate 1-on-1 conversation with Jackson, he talks broadly about many topics. Many press people were seated at the back of the auditorium filming with phones, so quality is a bit wonky.
On The Hunt for Gollum movie
Peter Jackson explains at #Cannes why he is not directing "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum':
"The film is about Gollum's psychological and addiction. I thought Andy knows this guy better than anybody. So I actually I didn't think much of me [directing the new movie.… pic.twitter.com/eNbmQuQ54d
“The film is about Gollum’s psychological and addiction. I thought Andy knows this guy better than anybody. So I actually I didn’t think much of me [directing the new movie. I thought the most exciting version of this movie is if Andy Serkis makes it.”
“I don’t dislike it at all. I mean, to me, it’s just a special effect.” Further, he talks about how Andy Serkis playing Gollum may not win any acting awards because of all the discourse around AI. “It’s not an AI-generated performance, it’s a human-generated performance, so it’s sort of unfair that he wouldn’t get it.”
Variety as more complete write up of Peter Jackson’s comments on A.I. including a fair perspective of likeness rights. “If you’re doing an AI duplicate of somebody, like Indiana Jones or anyone else, as long as you’ve licensed the rights off the person who you’re showing, I don’t see the issue. It’s when people’s likenesses get stolen and usurped.”
Separately, while attending Cannes, actress Cate Blanchett has announced a non-profit consortium called RSL Media to create a legal framework in managing the AI likeness rights of all actors. There is also another EU group trying to do the same called HPF Human Providence in Film.
Peter Jackson got permission from Christopher Lee’s estate to use old outtakes for the recent War of the Rohirrim, and his Weta Digital worked with Ian Holm’s estate to bring his ALIEN character back using CGI models from The Hobbit movies.
On The Adventures of TinTin sequel
Peter Jackson reveals at #Cannes that he is working on a new "Adventures of Tintin" movie.
He's currently writing the script and plans to direct the movie himself. He was working on the screenplay while attending the festival. pic.twitter.com/mZx805loib
Jackson talks about disappointing Steven Spielberg by not making a movie for 15 years. But he’s writing now as we speak with intent to direct. The first TinTin is a fully animated film and is regarded as a modern classic. The sequel is one of the most long-anticipated movies in the industry.
Did Peter Jackson’s attire during Fathom’s The Lord of the Rings 25th anniversary cinema re-release videos tease a new project?
The Lord of the Rings is back in theaters, and fans in the USA were treated to three 10-minute (And maybe a bit longer) video introductions from our favorite Director, Peter Jackson. During the Return of the King intro, Jackson talks about his professional relationship with Oscar winning cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, who tragically passed away too early in 2015. Peter talks emotionally about not doing any narrative films since losing his creative partner Lesnie, but then implies he’ll have to find a solution soon because he has something new cooking. So is Peter Jackso hinting at directing a new feature film, after finding success with documentaries?
Clues in the Shirts
Peter Jackson wears three different shirts before each of the three LOTR movies, cleverly overlaid with an open Hawaiian shirt.
We did a deep dive on what those partial words could be, and discovered a YouTube and Merch store called ZULU about the Anglo-Zulu wars. We believe, these are the shirts Peter is wearing.
The store is full of merch related to the 1964 movie ZULU starring Michael Caine, which seems to be available to watch free on YouTube.
A War with Familiar Themes
Could Peter Jackson be making a movie about the great English – Zulu tribesman war of 1879 and the African land of Shaka Zulu? Here’s the description from Wikipedia.
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in present-day South Africa from January to early July 1879 between forces of the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Two famous battles of the war were the Zulu victory at Isandlwana and the British defence at Rorke’s Drift. The English saw an opportunity for a ruling white minority over a black majority in South Africa. This would yield a large pool of cheap labour for the British sugar plantations and mines, and was intended to bring the African Kingdoms, tribal areas, and Boer republics into South Africa. In 1874, Sir Bartle Frere was appointed as British High Commissioner for Southern Africa to effect such plans. Among the obstacles were the armed independent states of the South African Republic and the Zulu Kingdom.
A war of technologically advanced heavy machinery vs the most skilled tribesman of the continent, sounds pretty Tolkienian.
Back to South Africa
This wouldn’t be the first time Jackson has eyes on South Africa. He produced the cult hit DISTRICT 9 (2009) about aliens living amongst us in Johannesburg. District 9 came about after Jackson’s HALO movie didn’t happen, so he and director Neill Blomkamp used a lot of the same weapons and vehicles Weta had built for HALO for a new original alien-human story. District 9 was a huge hit earning $210 Million on a $30 M budget.
It should also be noted that J.R.R. Tolkien was South African, born there and moved to England after his father died.
Teasing the Fans
Peter Jackson implies in the Return of the King Fathom Event video that he may be returning to directing soon, and needs to find a new cinematographer to be his creative partner. Hey Peter, we have a suggestion: Greig Fraser lensed THE BATMAN and the first two DUNE movies. He’s been on TORN Tuesday’s podcast.
Anyway, could these t-shirts be teasing fans for his next project? Or is Peter Jackson looking at historical themes of the great Zulu War to inform a new epic LOTR war movie? Both The Two Towers and Return of the King are considered some of the greatest war movies of all time, and there are plenty more wars in Tolkien’s Middle-earth Legendarium. Yes, we realize that is a far-fetched idea.
Or is this just pure coincidence and means nothing? Peter just having a bit of fun with the fans?
What do you think? Join the Discord and talk with fans on what this all could mean.
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee examines the truth and legends of one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood history.
Director Jon Spira is opening up his feature length documentary film to Tolkien fans with an exclusive deal, following a successful Kickstarter campaign that helped get the movie finished. The film is now available online at ChristopherLeeFilm.co.uk in DVD Blu-Ray, box set, and digital download.
TheOneRing.net community fans can get 50% off the digital edition with code ONERING
Made in collaboration with Chris Lee’s Estate
The documentary features new and never before seen interviews with Peter Jackson, Joe Dante, John Landis, and archival footage featuring his best friends Vincent Price and Peter Cushing. It was made in coordination with Lee’s estate and heirs, and reveals many previously unheard personal anecdotes and stories. Many of the legendary tales of Christopher Lee’s life are covered — it’s up to you, the viewer, whether he was embellishing. Some of the tallest tales we documented years ago in a twitter thread.
James Bond exists because of Christopher Lee – he is Ian Fleming's cousin who wanted him to play Bond, not least because of Lee’s World War II and SOC experiences.
TheOneRing.net asked director Jon Spira if he thought Christopher Lee would be brought back to life with A.I. in the upcoming series of The Lord of the Rings films. While he has never inquired with Lee’s family or estate about such matters, he personally decided to not use A.I. in his documentary. Actor Peter Serafinowicz narrates portions of the film from the perspective of Christopher Lee, in stories taken from his own autobiography.
“I suspect that he might have left instructions not to allow such a thing. That said, he adored Peter Jackson and I could equally imagine him granting Jackson some form of limited digital manipulation rights,” says director Jon Spira.
To be clear: we have not yet heard any rumors that the new movies even want to pursue this. Director Andy Serkis and Producer Peter Jackson, who are working on the next LOTR film “The Hunt For Gollum,” have both expressed more than a passing interest in utilizing A.I. filmmaking tools. Jackson recently won Emmy and Grammy awards for using A.I. to restore The Beatles’ footage and music tapes. For Saruman’s cameo in “The War of the Rohirrim,” Philippa Boyens found unused outtakes from “The Hobbit” movies to bring Lee’s voice into the anime film.
Print the Legend, Watch the Film
Most Tolkien fans already know that Christopher Lee was a huge LOTR fan. He professed to read the books every year, and he is the only cast member of The Lord of the Rings movies to have actually met J.R.R. Tolkien in person. Not only was Saruman the final performance of his illustrious career, this documentary reveals that Christopher Lee was watching LOTR on the day he died. So go and grab the full movie now for half-off pricing using the code ONERING.
Here’s a Holiday gift for us all – The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will be available to watch digitally from Friday December 27th! We still heartily recommend seeing it on a big screen – with amazing surround sound – but if you can’t find a cinema near you, (or if you’ve seen it and want to watch it again), from this Friday, you can stream it at home.
What’s more, there is exciting Extra Content to be seen – and we are thrilled that Warner Bros. have given us an EXCLUSIVE clip to share with you as a sneak preview. Take a look:
Here’s the official press release about the digital release:
Burbank, CA, December 23, 2024 – New Line Cinema’s original anime feature “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” which returns audiences to the epic world brought to life in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, based on the revered books by J.R.R. Tolkien, debuts Digitally at home on December 27.
“The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” continues the legendary “The Lord of the Rings” film franchise that debuted 23 years ago. The most awarded series in cinematic history, the six films have earned $6 billion at the global box office and won 17 Academy Awards. Directed by Peter Jackson, “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy includes 2001’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” 2002’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” and 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” which were produced by New Line Cinema and WingNut Films and distributed by New Line Cinema, and “The Hobbit” Trilogy, which includes 2012’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” 2013’s “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and 2013’s “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” which were produced by New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, and WingNut Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the saga of the legendary House of Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan. When a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord attacks seeking vengeance for the death of his father, Helm’s daughter Héra must summon the will to lead the resistance or face total destruction.
Under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama (the “Blade Runner: Black Lotus” and “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” TV series), the talented voice cast is led by Brian Cox (“Succession”) as Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan; Gaia Wise (“A Walk in the Woods”) as his daughter Héra; and Luke Pasqualino (“Snowpiercer”) as Wulf.
Miranda Otto, who delivered an unforgettable, award-winning performance in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, reprises her role as Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, who serves as the tale’s narrator. The voice ensemble also includes Lorraine Ashbourne (Netflix’s “Bridgerton”), Yazdan Qafouri (“I Came By”), Benjamin Wainwright (“World on Fire”), Laurence Ubong Williams (“Gateway”), Shaun Dooley (“The Witcher”), Michael Wildman (“Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”), Jude Akuwudike (“Beasts of No Nation”), Bilal Hasna (“Sparks”) and Janine Duvitski (“Benidorm”).
On December 27, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” will be available Digitally at home on participating digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, and more.
DIGITAL ELEMENTS
“The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” on Digital contains the following special features:
Return to Helm’s Deep: History Becomes Legend
Middle-earth and Anime: A Marriage of Creativity
Héra: A New Hero for Middle-earth
BASICS
Digital Availability: December 27, 2024 Running Time: 134 minutes Rating: PG-13
About The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
The original anime feature “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” returns audiences to the epic world brought to life in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, based on the revered books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama, the talented voice cast is led by Brian Cox as Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan; Gaia Wise as his daughter Héra; and Luke Pasqualino as Wulf. Miranda Otto, who delivered an unforgettable, award-winning performance in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, reprises her role as Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, who serves as the tale’s narrator. The voice ensemble also includes Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna and Janine Duvitski. With Kamiyama at the helm, the original feature is being produced by Oscar winner Philippa Boyens, from the screenwriting team behind “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” Trilogies, alongside Jason DeMarco and Joseph Chou, who, in addition to their many separate animation projects,collaborated on the “Blade Runner: Black Lotus” series. The executive producers are Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Sam Register, Ken Kamins, Carolyn Blackwood and Toby Emmerich. The screenplay is by Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews and Phoebe Gittins & Arty Papageorgiou, story by Addiss & Matthews and Boyens, based on characters created by J.R.R. Tolkien. The team of creative collaborators returning from “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy also includes Oscar winners Alan Lee and Richard Taylor, along with esteemed Tolkien illustrator John Howe. The music is by Stephen Gallagher, music editor of Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” Trilogy.
New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation Present, in Association with Wingnut Films, a Warner Bros. Animation and Sola Entertainment Production, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.” The film is distributed theatrically worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
If you’re curious to know more about this particular story from Tolkien, and its adaptation to the big screen, we have good news for you! TheOneRing.net is partnering with the team at Rings and Realms to create a deep dive documentary all about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Find out more about this exciting project, here.
It’s almost a week since the official opening in theatres of the epic animated movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. It’s definitely a film to see in the cinema; the inspiring soundtrack, rich, lush sound design, and sweeping, stunningly artistic vistas are best served by the biggest screen you can find, with an outstanding sound system.
Earlier this month, staffer greendragon joined the press junket in London, following the red carpet premiere. There she was able to chat with producer Philippa Boyens, writers Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, and actors Gaia Wise and Laurence Ubong Williams. They covered topics such as the challenges – and liberations! – of voice acting; being awestruck by being in a room with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Andy Serkis; and the warmth and ‘family’ nature of the Tolkien fandom. You can find all these interviews on our YouTube channel.
Quickbeam has shared his thoughts on the movie in this review, calling it ‘a terrific film, hands down’. Look for more thoughts and reviews from staffers, coming soon!
Meanwhile, TORn’s friend Dr. Maggie Parke (Director of Signum Studios, Co-Presenter and Producer of Rings and Realms) was able to attend the red carpet in London on December 3rd, and she shared her thoughts with us:
Dr. Maggie Parke with actor Gaia Wise
Premiere Report – London, December 3rd
As a lecturer of film adaptation and fan engagement, it is a rare and exhilarating experience to engage directly with the people behind a project that bridges beloved source material with cinematic innovation while relishing in the energy of the fan community. At the start of December, I had the privilege of attending the red carpet event and worldwide premiere for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim in London, UK. This animated feature is set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s (and Peter Jackson’s) Middle-earth, directed by Kenji Kamiyama. The film, executive produced by Peter Jackson and out of Warner Bros. Studio, is a gorgeous adventure through animation into Middle-earth, 183 years before the events from the trilogy.
The premiere was at the Odeon in Leicester Square, the traditional premiere spot in London, England. The Christmas market in the middle, twinkling fairy lights, market stalls, happy shoppers and holiday-makers, created a joyful vibe walking up to the theatre. Taking my place in the media pen on the red carpet allowed my geek heart to sing! Connecting with the cast and crew whose work on the Jackson trilogy ignited my love for filmmaking, adaptation, and production, was pretty dang magical. I relished the dynamic energy surrounding this ambitious anime project that is so different from what we know, but still so familiar from the visual’s of Jackson’s Middle-earth.
The night was vibrant and the theatre decked out for the Worldwide premiere with photo backdrops, a section for cosplayers and die-hard fans, contest winners, LED screens with video and posters, basins of actual fire, and a stage for cast and crew interviews during the red carpet time, which made the event more engaging, and like a show itself.
Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd on the red carpet
The Red Carpet: Conversations with Cast and Crew
The red carpet event was an excellent opportunity to speak with some of the key figures involved in bringing The War of the Rohirrim to life. My geek heart rejoiced as I was able to chat with Executive Producer Peter Jackson, producer Philippa Boyens, Producer Jospeh Chou, composer Stephen Gallagher, and voice cast members including Gaia Wise (Hera), Brian Cox (Helm Hammerhand), Laurence Ubong Williams (Fréaláf), and the glorious duo of Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan who cameo as orcs in WoR.
Phillips Boyens was SO excited to see TORn there, and spoke with passion about their approach to the film, describing how she viewed this as an opportunity fill out what we know of Rohan, and to blend the epic scope of Tolkien’s world with the unique narrative style of Japanese animation; the challenges and techniques that anime supplies are so different from a live-action film. She mentioned nods to deep Tolkien fans and the moments that they’ll appreciate, including adding some Old English (a nod to Tolkien) in the lament for Helm, sung by Lorraine Ashbourne (who voices Olwyn, and whose husband is Andy Serkis). She felt like the story “never let up….” And that while it was a fun challenge, she knew that it would get to where they wanted it to go.
Joseph Chou, the producer, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project. He discussed how the original idea came from Phillipa, and how they asked ALL of the questions to ensure this story could stay true to the world of Tolkien, but provide an exciting space to tell the story of Helm, and explore the character of his nameless daughter, now the heroine shield-maiden, Hera. He passionately described how carefully they wanted to ensure the film stayed true to the spirit of Tolkien’s world, and also was faithful to the Peter Jackson universe, while adding new layers to the mythology.
Stephen Gallagher, Gaia Wise, and Brian Cox
Stephen Gallagher, the composer, is a familiar friend of Tolkien in Jackson’s adaptation, and he was sound editor on the Hobbit films. He’s a long-time Tolkien fan, from the age 11 he devoured the books and the video games from the 80s. He said Hera’s theme is one of his favourite elements of his work on the film. He was inspired by Eowyn’s theme, but uniquely referenced it, so Hera’s is her own, but it is familiar to the tradition of shield-maidens, the culture of the Rohirrim, and the lineage of Eowyn.
Brian Cox
Brian Cox, who voices Helm Hammerhand, felt his performance came from classic theatre training, and he shared his excitement at bringing such a legendary character to life. He also conveyed his deep respect for Tolkien’s legacy and his gratitude to Peter Jackson for providing his ‘gateway’ into Tolkien’s rich world.
Gaia Wise, the voice of Hera, said she felt in incredibly safe hands, with her ‘walking encyclopaedias of Philippa, Arty, and Phoebe’. She was grateful she was able to focus purely on developing the Hera of the script, because she knew that they had “mined all of the jewels that they could mine” from the text and world of Tolkien, so she used the script, but also them as resources for making Hera come to life.
Peter Jackson
And lastly, Peter Jackson, the ‘godfather’ of this of Middle-earth, impressed his excitement for other perspectives, styles, and artistic interpretations of Middle-earth. He said as they were returning to Middle-earth, he didn’t want it to compete with the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, so “handing it over to a brilliant animator and director like Kenji Kamiyama would at the very least give us an interesting result.” He said it was so exciting to sit back and fell like he was back in the world that he knew watching early cuts, and it only got stronger as the production moved ahead. He was excited to have anime come into the portfolio, although he didn’t know if there’d be another anime to follow, and he mentioned The Hunt for Gollum, Andy Serkis’s upcoming film. He referred to that film as a ‘psychological thriller,’ and was excited for exploring Middle-earth in a different way.
Peter Jackson’s version of Middle-earth in different styles? From informed, and passionate creators who aren’t afraid to take a chance on creative practices? Yes. Please.
Maggie Parke with Peter Jackson
Dr Maggie Parke has her PhD in Film Adaptation and Fan Engagement, and lectures with Signum University. She is the director of Signum Studios, and produces and co-presents on Rings & Realms.
If you haven’t yet seen The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, what are you waiting for? Treat yourself to a voyage back to Middle-earth, and enjoy seeing Rohan, Meduseld, and other familiar sights on the big screen once again.
If you’re curious to know more about this particular story from Tolkien, and its adaptation to the big screen, we have good news for you! TheOneRing.net is partnering with the team at Rings and Realms to create a deep dive documentary all about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Find out more about this exciting project, here.
