Summary
- War of the Rohirrim brings a fresh perspective to Middle-earth with its animated vision and a voice actor that fits Helm Hammerhand's role.
- Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, the film delves back into Rohan history, set 132 years before Bilbo Baggins' birth in the Third Age.
- Brian Cox voices Helm Hammerhand in this epic tale of siege, shaping a complex figure as one of Middle-earth's legends.
The War of the Rohirrim movie was the first Lord of the Rings movie announced since Peter Jackson's legendary Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies set the standard for LotR adaptations worldwide. Gaia Wise will voice the movie's lead, Hèra, but in fact, the movie is based on a story featuring a character called Helm Hammerhand as its primary protagonist. As such, the movie really has to get this voice actor right.
Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who also worked on iconic anime like Ghost in the Shell, War of the Rohirrim goes way back in The Lord of the Rings timeline. Although the events of War of the Rohirrim will take place in the Third Age, like the events of Jackson's movies, the movie is set 132 years before the birth of Bilbo Baggins. This historical view of Rohan will get to adapt the source material of fantasy legend J.R.R. Tolkien into an animation style known for its fantastical content. With voice talent spanning a varied cast, Helm Hammerhand's voice actor will be bringing a unique story to life.
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Who Is Helm Hammerhand In Lord Of The Rings Mythology?
Hammerhand Was A Rohirrim King
Helm Hammerhand was the main character in one story in the appendices to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Lord of the Rings' appendices were no mere footnotes, rather they contained a whole other book's worth of stories. These stories built a whole mythos around The Lord of the Rings' central characters of Frodo and the Fellowship. Spanning generations, some of the appendices covered events as far back as the Second Age in Middle-earth, briefly even touching on the First Age. But Helm's Third Age story shone a light on Rohan, the home of Éowyn and Théoden.
Hammerhand was king to the people of Rohan, who were otherwise known as the Rohirrim, a title related to their status as the Horse-lords of the great plains of Middle-earth. Hammerhand upset the already fragile relations between Rohan and the neighboring Dunlendings with a family scuffle, leading to Rohan's people being besieged over a long, cold winter. Hammerhand's exploits over this winter earned him legendary status - he was said to roam the frozen plains, killing enemies with his bare hands. Brian Cox's role as Hammerhand will cement the complex figure as one of Middle-earth's great legends.
Helm Hammerhand's Legacy In The Lord Of The Rings Explained
Helm Hammerhand Is ed As A Legendary Warrior King
Represented in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy by a massive stone statue, it's clear that Helm Hammerhand is regarded in the mythology of Tolkien's world as a famed warrior king. The details of Helm's life are brief in Tolkien's writing, and War of the Rohirrim will likely expand on them to establish the character as a legend. While he's perceived in remembrance as a great warrior and leader, he isn't a great hero like Aragorn or Théoden, and, in his time, was known for being ferocious, violent, and unstable, as depicted in the film's first trailer.
Helm's Deep, the valley in which the Rohirrim hold out against the forces of Isengard, is named after Helm Hammerhand. The massive warhorn of the Hornburg fortress in Helm's Deep is also named for him; hence, Théoden mentions him upon it being blown in the film adaptation. While Helm has no direct impact on the events of the War of the Ring years later, the Battle of Helm's Deep and the conflict of the Rohirrim importantly reflects back on Helm's legacy and influence as a leader of those lands.
One important aspect of Helm's story is that he's an essential piece of the ongoing conflict between the Rohirrim and the Dunlendings, as his violent reign caused war between the two peoples. In the War of the Ring, Saruman exploits this conflict, using the Dunlendings to launch attacks on Rohan on his behalf. He's primarily a character in Tolkien's mythology used to provide some context for events happening in Rohan in The Lord of the Rings, and it will be fascinating to see him have his own characterization.
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Helm Hammerhand Isn't The Main Hero In War Of The Rohirrim
Hèra Hammerhand Will Be The Main Protagonist
Regarding characters who need their own characterization, the main figure of War of the Rohirrim will be Hèra Hammerhand, who's (sort of) original to the film. Tolkien's lore mentions a character named Helm's daughter, who's tied to the center of the conflict but doesn't have much of a voice of her own in the legendarium. For the most part, she's a character created originally for the film, using Tolkien's writing as a basis for her motivations.
the conflict essentially begins over Hèra, though it doesn't seem like she's given any say in the matter.
In the book, the Dunlending Freca arrives at Edoras and demands that Helm Hammerhand offer his daughter to be married to Freca's son. As a result, Helm dealt Freca a blow with his fist, killing the man in one shot. He then declared Freca's son, Wulf, as his enemy, along with all of his people. So the conflict begins over Hèra, though it doesn't seem like she's given any say in the matter. This will likely be a catalyst for her spirited nature throughout the film.
The War of the Rohirrim trailer shows Hèra as a woman who desires peace for her kingdom but won't shy away from violence to get it. In the trailer, she's described as one of her father's fastest riders, is shown wielding a sword, and meets with a giant eagle, demonstrating that she'll be a force to be reckoned with. This connects well to The Lord of the Rings, as Miranda Otto's Éowyn is narrating The War of the Rohirrim, and there are some notable parallels between the two heroine characters.
Helm Hammerhand Is Voiced By Brian Cox In War Of The Rohirrim
Brian Cox CBE Is A Scottish Actor
Brian Cox is an award-winning Scottish actor who earned himself a prestigious CBE for his contribution to drama, and he will be voicing Helm Hammerhand in The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim movie. Despite being a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Cox's campaigning for Scottish independence frequently saw him criticize the British royals. Cox pioneered historical drama, helping shape the period dramas that defined the medieval fantasy aesthetic in Hollywood. Both on-screen and off-screen, Cox has the right chops for the ferocious anti-hero Hammerhand in War of the Rohirrim.
The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim comes out on December 13, 2024.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
- Release Date
- December 13, 2024
- Runtime
- 134 Minutes
- Director
- Kenji Kamiyama
WHERE TO WATCH
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm's Deep.
- Studio(s)
- New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Animation, Sola Entertainment
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
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