The Creators of The Lord of the Rings initially had no intentions of producing new live-action film adaptations, until they decided to venture into anime production.
The Hobbit series appeared to be the finale. For nearly two decades, director Peter Jackson along with writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens had diligently crafted movies set in Middle-earth. However, they yearned for a break. But lo and behold, the world of Middle-earth is set to return, first as an anime series and subsequently as a live-action film. Surprisingly, a live-action film wasn't initially in the picture, until they delved into the anime project.
On December 13, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is set to premiere in theaters. This entails a tale about a Rohan princess named Hera, who finds herself battling a siege that endangers her family. The film is inspired by a narrative from the appendices of J.R.R. Tolkien's literature. It is self-contained, featuring predominantly new characters and is steeped in the essence of the original films. Kenji Kamiyama (Blade Runner: Black Lotus) takes on the directorial role while Boyens, Jackson, and Walsh serve as producers.
In a recent video chat, Boyens revealed that Warner Bros. approached them about creating the film in 2019. She explained, "Warner Bros came to us in about 2019 and asked if we'd have any interest in returning to the world with an animated film. I think they knew enough not to ask us about a live-action film because we were definitely not there yet then."
Regardless, they're there now. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. announced that Andy Serkis would direct a film about the pursuit of Gollum, which unfolds in the same timeframe as The Fellowship of the Ring and would obviously feature characters from those films. Given Boyens' 2019 reservations about revisiting live-action Lord of the Rings movies, we inquired about what spurred their return to Middle-earth for The War of the Rohirrim.
As she stated, "It was rekindling our love for it, to be frank. It was feeling, ‘Maybe there is some more story to tell.’ Also, starting to feel a bit of an inclination for it. I don’t know whether it was due to covid or post-covid, but people seemed to return to those films during covid. And we observed an increase in people writing to us and showing interest. It felt suitable. Maybe it’s nostalgia. I don’t know what it is. But really, we should be crafting these films for people to enjoy, and the best way to achieve that is by knowing that there's an audience for them. So, let's see what transpires."
We'll see what transpires next week as Middle-earth returns to the big screen with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Stay tuned for additional insights from our talk with Boyens.
Curious about upcoming releases in other universes? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek installments. Keep yourself informed about the future of the DC Universe on film and TV. And don't miss our rundown on the future of Doctor Who.
The revelation of a Gollum-focused film, directed by Andy Serkis, further highlights the resurgence of interest in the Lord of the Rings universe. This project, set in the same timeframe as The Fellowship of the Ring, underscores the potential for technology to bring these beloved characters and stories to life in innovative ways, potentially revolutionizing the movie-watching experience as reported by io9.
Looking ahead, it's intriguing to consider how advancements in technology might shape the future of Middle-earth-inspired movies, possibly leading to a merger of animation and live-action techniques, thereby offering a more immersive experience for the audience.
