On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim gathered at the Green Dragon Inn on the Hobbiton movie set in Matamata for the film’s New Zealand premiere. The much-anticipated animated film, directed by Kenji Kamiyama, combines J.R.R. Tolkien’s rich world with the unique style of Japanese animation. The film features a stellar voice cast, including Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto, and the archival voice of the late Christopher Lee.
Set 183 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, the film follows Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), the ninth King of Rohan, and his daughter Hera (Gaia Wise) as they face a civil war led by the vengeful Wulf (Luke Pasqualino). As the stars arrived on the red carpet, guests were greeted with a traditional powhiri and applause from hundreds of invited guests, including industry figures like Jane Campion, Cliff Curtis, and Jermaine Clement.
The cast signed autographs and mingled with fans, enjoying drinks and food as they celebrated the release. Executive producer Peter Jackson, who is known for his work on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, spoke to RNZ about the film’s unique approach. Jackson emphasized that the team wanted to offer something new for fans, noting that they chose an anime format to revisit Middle-earth in a fresh way.
“After The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, we didn’t want to repeat that experience. We thought it would be interesting to tell shorter stories in this world, in ways people haven’t seen before,” Jackson said. “It’s an anime film, but it still feels like a Lord of the Rings movie.”
Phillipa Boyens, screenwriter for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, returned as a producer for The War of the Rohirrim. Boyens described the storytelling in animation as surprisingly similar to live-action, but with some differences. “You have to tell a good story, whether it’s live-action or animation. Anime, however, is a bit more of a dance,” she explained. “The characters can’t perform the same way, so it requires creative direction, especially in how the camera moves and how the scenes are cut. Kenji Kamiyama is a visual master, and he’s done a stunning job.”
Boyens also praised the voice cast, particularly Gaia Wise, who plays Hera. “We were lucky to have Brian Cox and Gaia Wise. This is one of her first lead roles, and she’s fantastic as Hera. She brings a new heroine to Middle-earth.”
Director Kenji Kamiyama, famous for his work on anime classics like Ghost in the Shell and Akira, brought his expertise in animation to the film. Kamiyama explained that it was important for the animation to align with the visual legacy of Middle-earth, blending traditional 2D hand-drawn characters with a detailed 3D world.
For Gaia Wise, voicing the character of Hera brought its own challenges. “The fighting sequences were the hardest to voice. In anime, the action is very specific, so having Kenji there to guide me was invaluable. As an actor, you rely on your physicality, but with animation, you have to dig deep within yourself to bring out the emotion.”
Wise expressed her excitement about the film’s exploration of Rohan’s history. “The origins of the shield maidens and the ancestry of beloved characters will be magical for fans to discover,” she said.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim hits cinemas on Thursday, bringing a new chapter of Tolkien’s world to the big screen.
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