This weekend, the animated The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim hits theaters, marking the first time that a new entry in the LotR franchise has hit the big screen since The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies a decade ago. The anime movie, directed by veteran anime artist and producer Kenji Kamiyama, also features an all-star voice cast, including one familiar franchise veteran, to bring the characters to life:
- Miranda Otto
- Brian Cox
- Shaun Dooley
- Luke Pasqualino
- Lorraine Ashbourne
- Janine Duvitski
- Gaia Wise
- Benjamin Wainwright
- Michael Wildman
- Jude Akuwudike
- + others
Already, it looks incredible, another great offering in the franchise to go along with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie trilogies, as well as the Rings of Power TV show. But some who aren’t as familiar with the deep lore of The Lord of the Rings may be wondering when and how, exactly, The War of the Rohirrim fits into the Tolkien universe and where it lies in the movie and TV show timeline.
When Is The War Of The Rohirrim Set?
Thanks to some complicated lore, there is debate about when, exactly, War of the Rohirrim sits on the Lord of the Rings timeline. The action, according to the synopsis, begins 183 years before the events of Peter Jackson’s original trilogy of films, though the trailer states it’s around 200 years. Tolkien’s text also muddies the water a bit. Following the appendices in Tolkien’s The Return of the King, however, you get math that sets up the events of The War of the Rohirrim, unfolding approximately 243 years before the movies. Like I said – it’s complicated. As with other adaptations, it’s likely Warner Bros. fudged the timeline for the purposes of the movie. Either way, the timeline isn’t what’s most important. The story is.
What Is The War Of The Rohirrim About?
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim follows the legendary Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan and the founder of Helm’s Deep. Those who have seen the movies know how important Helm’s Deep is in the lore, being the location of the most epic battle of the trilogy in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The official synopsis reads
“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 fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.”
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