The War of the Rohirrim: Anime Middle-earth

[Huinesoron]

Yes, really.

New Line are working on a new LotR film, in continuity with the Jackson movies. Philippa Boyens, co-writer of the Jackson trilogy, is on as consultant. They've got the writers of Netflix's Dark Crystal series.

Aaaand it's an anime about Helm Hammerhand and that time Rohan got conquered by Dunland and its king turned into an icicle.

I mean... I guess, given that New Line are still running under the old "Hobbit + LotR + Appendices" license (unlike Amazon), Helm isn't a bad choice. His story is one of the more fleshed-out, and takes place over maybe a year or so - so it's easier to make a tidy plot out of than the Fall of Arnor and of the Line of Kings in Gondor, which spans three generations. But it's still kind of a weird choice.

Given the 'continuity with Jackson' claim, should we start a betting pool on which characters will randomly make an appearance? I'm betting on Legolas and Figwit (is he Lindir now?) leading an army from Rivendell. Which will include at least one Hobbit.

(Given the timing, and the 'is on the fast-track' description, I wonder if they're aiming for a release in December for the 20th anniversary of Fellowship...?)

hS

[Inziladun]

Oh, lovely.

Maybe they at least have some justification for gratuitous violence, what with Helm punching Freca to death, and killing many others similarly.

[Galadriel55]

I love the legend of Helm Hammerhand. I would love to see a movie adaptation, and would be willing to forgive a lot of plot and stylistic inaccuracy.

...But the two of you just made me realize just how much rubbish can be put into it as well, and now I am sad and conflicted.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

I may well watch this- in the same mode as that in which I watch Reefer Madness and Plan 9 From Outer Space.

(BTW, using Philippa Boyens as a script consultant is not unlike hiring the f/x guy from the original Star Trek series. Her writing is comparable to the Gorn's rubber suit.)

[Formendacil]

I am cautiously, well, not optimistic exactly (I wasn't that in 2000 and have yet to be given any reason to change my stance re: adaptations), but I am curious to see how well this does relative to the Amazon series and simply by its presentation of WHAT the subject matter is, i.e. a clearly delineated story from the Appendices rather than "the Second Age," I am more hopeful here than I am there.

I also have something of a default instinct--founded on what, I don't know--that animation is a superior medium into which one could adapt a fantasy novel. We'll see if that is given any evidence here.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

My first thought upon learning about this was that they might do a lot of very "overepic" and, yes, sadly violence-centered shots (what Inzil said about punching Freca to death).

Anything is of course possible. They might go a completely different way. But I somehow think that this could easily be Tolkien in nothing but a name: the focus being only on war; yes, perhaps in the spirit of old sagas, but lacking the elements that are central to Tolkien (or in other words, swapping the margins for the centre). Not realising that Tolkien may have used the elements of forms of old warrior-sagas, but that the spirit is something completely different. That the focus is not on war and honour for the sake of honour, but on so much more, like mercy, beauty, loss, hope...

Anyway, my subconscious apparently came up with yet a different take on how this might go in a dream I recently had.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

(BTW, using Philippa Boyens as a script consultant is not unlike hiring the f/x guy from the original Star Trek series. Her writing is comparable to the Gorn's rubber suit.)

I'm glad I wasn't sipping my beer when I read that.


As far as the War of the Rohirrim project. there has been some ridicule in the usual fece-stains on the internet about Mûmakil appearing in it. It actually isn't a really far reach as far as the souece material goes. From Appendix A in the section 'Stewards':

'In the days of Beren, the ninteenth Steward, an even greater peril came upon Gondor. Three great fleets, long prepared, came up from Umbar and the Harad, and assailed the coasts of Gondor in great force; and the enemy made many landings, even as far north as the mouth of the Isen. At the time Rohan was assailed from the west and the east, and the land was overrun, and they were driven into the dales of the White Mountains. In that year (2758) the Long Winter began with cold and great snows out of the north and the east which lasted for almost five months. Helm of Rohan and both his sons perished in that war, and there was misery and death in Eriador and in Rohan. But in Gondor south of the mountains things were less evil, and before spring came Beregond son of Beren had overcome the invaders. At once he sent aid to Rohan. He was the greatest captain that had arisen in Gondor since Boromir; and when he succeeded his father (2763) Gondor began to recover its strength. But Rohan was slower to be healed of the hurts that it had received. It was for this reason that Beren welcomed Saruman, and gave to him the keys of Orthanc; and from that year on (2759) Saruman dwelt in Isengard.'

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

It actually isn't a really far reach as far as the souece material goes. From Appendix A in the section 'Stewards':

Okay, but now I really want to see the kind of ship you'd build to carry an AT-AT sized Oliphaunt.

Also, I love this for the implication that fighting giant elephants was something the Rohirrim had a) done before and b) developed a plan for. I'm imagining Eomer watching as they appear outside Minas Tirith, and his eyes light up. "By Béma... we've been waiting for this for three hundred years!"

hS