“What does Mordor want with the rings, anyway?” asks a curious orc in a brand new scene from the next anime The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim. At the cinema only on December 13thtells a story set several hundred years before the events of The Hobbit OR The Fellowship of the Ring centered on Rohan, his struggles, and the name of the place we know as Helm’s Deep.
Of course, we the audience know exactly what Mordor wants from the rings. Sauron is looking for the One Ring which, at this point, is probably at the very bottom of a lake. But it’s a quick and intriguing interlude in a longer clip than new film starring Hera (Gaia Wise), daughter of King Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), who, at this point, has already suffered some huge defeats and led his people to their legendary fortress. What happens next, though, you’ll have to see to believe. This video first debuted at New York Comic Con but it’s online now courtesy of IGN.
This sequence comes about halfway through the film as the Rohans struggle with the mysterious disappearance of their king, the resulting lack of leadership, and, as you see here, some wandering orcs. It’s worth noting though that this is the only scene in the entire film with orcs or rings. The film isn’t about all this. But, every now and then, it teases other events and characters to remind you that yes, this is the same world you know and love from Peter Jackson’s films. Jackson, along with co-writer and producer Fran Walsh, are the film’s executive producers, and their collaborator Philippa Boyens helped bring the idea to fruition as a full producer.
The film itself is directed by Kenji Kamiyama who has directed anime such as Ghost in the Shell, Ultraman, Star Wars VisionsAND Blade Runner: Black Lotus. It’s in theaters December 13th and tickets are on sale now. We’ll have more next week.
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