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Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies are some of the most revered films ever made. Even now, over two decades after release, they remain culturally relevant, and the gold-standard by which all fantasy movies are compared. All these years later, director Peter Jackson has finally named which movie of the trilogy he's most proud of...and his choice will probably surprise you!

Speaking to Letterboxd, Jackson explained that he has a tough time watching his own films. "I can’t watch my own films. I mean, one day… I sort of enjoy it more as more time goes by, so one day I’ll watch them again," he said. As for what his favorite movie in the trilogy is, it's surprisingly The Two Towers, the middle movement of the trilogy, but his answer is far from set in stone. "The Two Towers, I think. But if I...

Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved franchises in the world.

Originally conceived as a fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, the story began as a sequel to his 1937 children’s book The Hobbit.

The story follows a hobbit named Frodo who inherits the One Ring, which can destroy the entire world. As the reawakened evil Sauron goes after the Ring to secure his reign, Frodo teams up with eight others to destroy the Ring and defeat Sauron.

Originally intended to be a single volume, the work was published in three parts: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. It’s now one of best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold, leading to music, films, television, video games, and board games.

Over the years, the movies and TV shows have garnered significant acclaim among critics and fans alike.

Exclusive: Mia McKenna-Bruce, recipient of last year’s BAFTA Rising Star laureate and star of Molly Manning Walker’s breakthrough hit How to Have Sex, has joined Claire Denis’ new film The Cry of the Guards. She replaces the previously announced Riley Keough.

The fast-rising British actress travels to the Republic of Senegal in West Africa next week for principal photography on the Denis movie with longtime attached actors Matt Dillon and Isaach De Bankolé, who starred in Denis’ 1990 masterwork No Fear, No Die and her films Chocolat and White Material, and more recently in The Brutalist and Black Panther.

Denis returns to the continent that defined her childhood to make The Cry of the Guards, which during development was also known as The Fence — and there’s chatter about it reverting back to that title — to film the intense drama focusing...

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is up there in popculture royalty, with many a nerd able to quote even the most obscure lines from the epically long films, and actor Hugo Weaving is a big part of that. Many know him as the face of The Matrix’s Agent Smith, as well as the stoic and stern elf Elrond, but even the biggest fan would have missed this little-known fact about the actor.

Hugo Weaving and His Surprising Role

Hugo Weaving’s Elrond appears in five of the six films in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit franchises, and the character is a huge part of the story we’ve all come to know and love over the years. That said, beyond Elrond, many won’t know that Hugo Weaving played another role in the franchise, and it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring...

As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

16th December: Dragon Fist

16th Decemeber: Kubo & The Two Strings (Steelbook)

16th December: ParaNorman...

In a field of actors endowed with a dozen different skill sets, only Andy Serkis could have pulled off two of the most radically revolutionary roles that forever changed the face of cinema. Fortunately, the actor’s arrival in Hollywood perfectly coincided with Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and the latest Planet of the Apes film series.

Andy Serkis as Smeagol in Lord of the Rings [Credit: New Line Cinema]

The eccentric and wildly gifted English actor has been an invaluable addition to the film industry, blessing Hollywood with such realistic roles as Gollum and Caesar. His creative and technical contributions to both franchises helped make them become critically and commercially successful. He did not let special effects, AI, and CGI render a lifeless version of the deeply layered, emotionally complex, and intricately written characters of Gollum and Caesar.

Andy Serkis’ invaluable contribution to Hollywood Andy Serkis portraying...

This week's penultimate episode of the latest Disney+ Star Wars series, Skeleton Crew, is now streaming, and the closing credits reveal which actor has been cast as the show's most mysterious character.

There be spoilers ahead!

At Attin's "Supervisor" has been mentioned on a number of occasions, and we finally heard his voice over the intercom in "We're Gonna Be in So Much Trouble" when Wim, Neel, Fern and Kb returned to their home planet as Jod Na Nawood's prisoners.

You may have thought the upbeat, jolly (likely disarmingly so) voice sounded familiar, and the episode's end credits revealed that legendary British actor/comedian Stephen Fry has been cast in the role.

Fans have been speculating about the true identity of the Supervisor over the past few weeks, and while there are a few compelling possibilities, we'd be very surprised if he didn't turn out to be Tak Rennod, the...

Orlando Bloom once ruled Middle-earth with a bow, a quiver, and the silkiest blonde hair ever seen on screen. But after a $956M film, he decided to peace out from The Lord of the Rings universe faster than Frodo bolting from Mordor. No more Legolas, no more elf drama, he was done. Or so we thought.

Orlando Bloom played Balian of Ibelin in Kimgdom of Heaven | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Now, Bloom’s suddenly singing a new tune, sparking buzz about a potential return. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the allure of another epic project, but fans are already sharpening their arrows in excitement.

Orlando Bloom thought he was done with Legolas, but Middle-Earth is calling him back for another adventure Orlando Bloom as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings trilogy | Credits: New Line Cinema

Legolas fired his last arrow in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,...

Christopher Lee once hesitated to step into the epic world of The Lord of the Rings. The legendary actor knew Tolkien’s universe inside out, and let’s just say Peter Jackson’s adaptation didn’t exactly stick to the script, at least when it came to Saruman.

Christopher Lee as Saruman in Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

Turning the White Wizard into Sauron’s obedient lackey was a full-on lore shake-up. For Lee, a devoted fan of the books, this must’ve felt like an Elven dagger to the heart.

Christopher Lee saw the true Saruman: A mastermind, not a minion Christopher Lee as Saruman in Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

Christopher Lee wasn’t just another actor in The Lord of the Rings; he was a walking Tolkien encyclopedia. So when Peter Jackson’s films turned Saruman into Sauron’s obedient minion,...

Sir Ian McKellen has faced Balrogs, moved metal with his mind, and owned every stage he’s stepped on, but this one role took him to the brink, leaving him questioning if he’d make it out alive. This wasn’t just another day in the life of Gandalf or Magneto. This was something way more intense.

Ian McKellen as Gandalf in the movie series Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

A grueling shoot, a deadly environment, and stakes higher than the Misty Mountains combined to make this role his ultimate test. Even legends like McKellen aren’t invincible, and this time, the line between performance and survival got uncomfortably blurry.

Sir Ian McKellen’s near-death stage fall and the emotional moment that almost ended his Gandalf journey Sir Ian McKellen with Elijah Wood in Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

The legendary actor behind iconic...

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, episode 7, "We're Gonna Be In So Much Trouble."

A key piece of the puzzle to one of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew's biggest mysteries has been revealed. This mystery is in regard to the mysterious Supervisor who oversees the government and all life on the planet of At Attin. Despite the Supervisor's importance, the character is not seen or heard from in the first six episodes of Skeleton Crew, even after the children leave the planet.

That is no longer the case as of Skeleton Crew episode 7, which includes the Supervisor's voice for the first time. As the Onyx Cinder approaches its landing, the Supervisor makes a public announcement, informing the citizenry of At Attin that a Republic Emissary is arriving with a shipment and that all non-essential work will be paused until the shipment is offloaded.

The episode's credits...

As Season 3 of The Rings of Power is officially under the works, fans can’t wait for the showdown with Halbrand (or Sauron) to reach its next stage. But while fans revel in what lies ahead, no one can move on from the magic that The Lord of the Rings weaved, including Sir Ian McKellen.

It’s been more than 2 decades since the curtain drew on the franchise, with the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003. While McKellen did return a few years later to New Zealand for the shoot of The Hobbit trilogy, there are still some happy memories he holds of his experience, including souvenirs.

When the Fellowship reunited for another Council The Fellowship still stands strong || Warner Bros.

Sir Ian McKellen is no stranger to being a part of successful franchises. But The Lord of the Rings universe will surely top his list.

Guillermo del Toro’s films have a lot of geeky goodness in them, not just from a filmmaking point of view, but from how he employs CGI and holds his inspiration close. This is best depicted in his work in Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

The Golden Army || Credit: Sony Pictures

One of the best scenes in the film saw Hellboy and his team come face to face with the famed Golden Army, a hoard of mechanical automatons that were made to fight humankind and their never-ending encroachment on fae lands. Del Toro revealed that the scene involving the creatures was one of the production’s greatest feats, given the level of ingenuity it required to get it right.

It took three designers across eight months to get the Golden Army right Ron Perlman in Hellboy || Credit: Sony Pictures

Guillermo del Toro, speaking with Den of Geek, revealed the sheer...

If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in a conversation about dystopian thrillers, there’s a good chance The Running Man has popped up at least once. Remember that 1987 classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger? The man who practically defines ‘action hero’ took on crazy villains like Fireball, Dynamo, and Subzero in a blood-pumping race for survival.

Well, the original was a blast, no doubt, but let’s be real—it was more about the spectacle than the substance. That said, the new adaptation is going to be a whole different beast. Starring Glen Powell, The Running Man is getting the overhaul it deserves, ready to elevate the story to an entirely new level.

Still from The Running Man (1987) | Credit: Tri-Star Pictures

Behind the camera, we’ve got Edgar Wright—the director whose name is practically synonymous with slick, stylish thrillers; a master storyteller responsible for hits like Shaun of the Dead,...

Carey Mulligan, Sarah Lancashire, and Stephen Fry are among the stars to receive recognition in King Charles III’s New Year honors list.

Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) and Lancashire (Happy Valley) have been made Commanders of the British Empire for their services to drama.

Fry has been knighted for his environmental, charity, and mental health work. The Hobbit star said he was “startled and enchanted” after receiving the letter about his knighthood.

Other actors recognized include The Sixth Commandment star Anne Reid, who was awarded a Cbe. There were Officer of the Order of the British Empire awards for Anne-Marie Duff (Bad Sisters), Eddie Marsan (Back to Black), and Kevin Whately (Inspector Morse).

Doctor Who star Thomas Baker was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire, while Desmond’s actress Carmen Munroe was made a Dame.

Former BAFTA CEO Amanda Berry was recognized with a Cbe, as was Steve Morrison,...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has no shortage of characters, and with each new entry, new characters are introduced. Yet, there are chances that characters who are not as mainstream might end up being sidelined.

So back in 2016, when the MCU introduced Benedict Cumberbath’s Doctor Stephen Strange, it was a pleasant surprise that the character, although popular among comic book fans, ended up becoming as successful as it did. Since then, there has been no looking back for him.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange | Credits: Marvel Studios

Now one of the most integral parts of the Marvel universe, the live-action iteration’s popularity is all thanks to the magnificent job that Cumberbatch did. Not only was his entry into the Marvel fold a significant turning point in his career, but it was also vital for the superhero universe. So, naturally, fans have been interested to know the remuneration he received...

At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios shocked everyone by announcing that Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. had been cast as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. 

The news received a mixed response from fans, though it's since been confirmed that he's playing Victor Von Doom rather than an evil Tony Stark Variant. We don't yet know whether he's the Doom from The Fantastic Four: First Steps' alternate reality but the hope is that Earth-616 will get a new version of the villain for the McU's next Saga of storytelling. 

After all, his feud with Reed Richards is worth exploring beyond a couple of Avengers movies!

We don't anticipate Downey returning for a Fantastic Four sequel and have what we think are some pretty compelling ideas for who could take over the role. With their faces hidden by a mask, age isn't that big of a deal,...

Featuring the voices of: Gaia Wise, Brian Cox, Miranda Otto, Luke Pasqualino, Lorraine Ashbourne, Shaun Dooley, Benjamin Wainwright, Yazdan Qafouri | Written by Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins, Arty Papageorgiou | Directed by Kenji Kamiyama

It has been over 20 years since Peter Jackson’s adaptations of The Lord of the Rings were all released onto the big-screen. With box office takings that reach almost $3 billion worldwide, 17 Academy Award wins, and extended edition marathons which repeatedly show at cinemas, it is an understatement to call this adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels a success.

Ever since, there have been repeated attempts to recapture the success of that massively influential trilogy. Peter Jackson returned to direct a trilogy adaptation of The Hobbit, which may have replicated the financial success but fell short everywhere else. Amazon Prime Video released The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, a streaming series focusing...

Mike Schur successfully transitioned from writing at Saturday Night Live to working on some of the best sitcoms of all-time. So when Schur gave his thoughts on SNL's attempt to parody his show The Office, his opinion carried a lot of weight.

Schur joined the Saturday Night Live writing staff in 1998, a year after graduating from Harvard. Soon, he became the "Weekend Update" producer and an Emmy winner. Schur left the show 2004 and followed that up as a producer and writer of The Office.

Seth Meyers invited Schur onto The Seth Meyers and Lonely Island podcast to discuss the best "SNL Digital Short" sketches of all time. Schur emphatically stated that the 2008 Office parody "Japanese Office" does not deserve any special recognition.

"It didn't scratch the itch of reflecting [The Office] in the way that I was hoping the show would be reflected somehow," Schur said. "I worked at SNL,...

Well, that was fast. New Line Cinema’s anime feature The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which opened on Dec. 13 to a very low $4.5M, will be available on digital in home on Dec. 27, repping a 14-day theatrical window.

War of the Rohirrim will be available on all participating digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, and more. Note, just because the movie is available in home, doesn’t mean it won’t continue to play in theaters. That said, there’s a competition this Christmas with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Mufasa, Wicked and Moana 2, and it will be very hard to hold screens on a movie that didn’t perform well.

The $30M animated production fell 72% in its second weekend with $1.25M for a $7.3M running total. Warners greenlit the movie before Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy took control of...

A few decades ago, if someone had told us that TV would one day stand toe-to-toe with cinema in terms of production value, we would have laughed it off like a bad punchline. But here we are—TV has evolved from a simple filler between dinner and sleep to a juggernaut of cinematic grandeur.

Today’s shows are no less than cinematic marvels, with budgets so vast, they could easily fund a few indie films. From the costumes that look like they were sewn by magic to soundtracks that stir the soul, each frame is a work of art.

Rory Kinnear in Lotr: The Rings of Power | Credit: Amazon MGM Studios

Now, let’s talk about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The moment this series was announced, expectations soared through the roof. Could this be the most expensive TV show ever made? If so, what does...

With “The Lord Of The Rings” trilogy completed, “The Hobbit” told and more prequel stories being told on Prime Video with “The Rings Of Power,” where does the ‘Lotr’ franchise go next? Well, right now, it’s in an anime direction with “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” which is in theaters now.

Presented by “Lord Of The Rings” producer and filmmaker Peter Jackson, this groundbreaking journey back to Middle-earth is told through the vision and eyes of legendary animation director Kenji Kamiyama (the “Blade Runner: Black Lotus” and “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex” TV series).

Continue reading ‘The War Of The Rohirrim’: Philippa Boyens On The New Anime, ‘The Hunt For Gollum’ & The Future Of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ at The Playlist.

In 1937, English author J.R.R. Tolkien penned a children’s book called “The Hobbit,” or “There and Back Again,” which ignited what would become one of the most popular franchises of all time across books, film and television. That means there’s a whole lot to watch, so we’ve put together a handy guide for anyone wondering how to watch all the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies in chronological or release date order.

Tolkien followed the success of “The Hobbit,” which features a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and his adventures in the Third Age of the fictional, mystical world of Middle Earth, with a sequel series called “The Lord of the Rings.” Set 60 years after “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings” follows an ensemble of different characters traveling to defeat the evil One Ring. The “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings” books later spawned some of the...

This week on The Anime Effect: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim director Kenji Kamiyama and screenwriter Philippa Boyens discuss the inspiration behind the movie and why anime was the best medium for the story. In our audio-only episode we fill you in on the latest news in the anime world, including the return of Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour, a Godzilla x Marvel collaboration , and more! Episode 45 of The Anime Effect is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! If you're waiting to watch the video episode, it'll be live on Crunchyroll and YouTube at 7 p.m. Et. Listen or Watch on: Episode 45 Summary In this week's audio-only episode, Leah and LeAlec discuss their Crunchyroll Arc results, the potential for a claymation Pokemon project on the way, and an isekai-themed video game announcement, among other updates. Plus, we...

Jim Carrey’s Tony Clifton Method Acting In Man On The Moon ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Jim Carrey didn’t just play Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon—he became Andy Kaufman. But his commitment to Kaufman’s outlandish alter ego, Tony Clifton, came with a whiff of chaos. Carrey stuffed his pockets with Limburger cheese to embody Clifton’s “purposely repulsive” Vegas lounge singer vibe, leaving co-stars like Paul Giamatti gagging.

“When he was Tony Clifton, he had Limburger cheese in his pockets, so he smelled horrible,” Giamatti revealed. “And he’d constantly be hugging people… It was disgusting.” Hugging people with cheese hands? That’s method acting for you.

Kaufman was no ordinary comedian. Known for Taxi and his jaw-dropping public stunts, Kaufman loved blurring reality and fiction. His Tony Clifton act was peak mischief: a bloated, chain-smoking lounge singer with a personality as rotten as that Limburger.

Lord of the Rings has had a comeback in recent years in mainstream Hollywood. Still trying to capture the success of Peter Jackson’s first trilogy, attempts at adapting Tolkien’s seminal epic fantasy world continue, with the latest efforts taking to animation in the form of The War of the Rohirrim.

A still from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Credits: Warner Bros. Animation

One of the leads of the film, Brian Cox, actually had been circling a role in another adaptation of Tolkien’s work, but it never worked out. The actor spoke to Anime News Network about his War of the Rohirrim role, but also about how he almost was a part of another Middle-Earth story.

Brian Cox was almost in “the one about the Dwarves” The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim | Image via Warner Brothers Discovery

Brian Cox...

For the first time in a decade, a new Lord of the Rings movie is playing in cinemas. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated prequel film set 183 years before The Hobbit, when the land of Rohan was ruled by a legendary figure named Helm Hammerhand. If you've read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien or watched the films from Peter Jackson, Helm's name may ring a bell; he is the king for who, the fortress of Helm's Deep was named.

But what did Tolkien actually write about Helm Hammerhand? Is the movie a close adaptation, or does it take massive liberties?

If you want to go back to the source, you might be surprised to find out that Tolkien really didn't write about Helm Hammerhand at all in The Lord of the Rings proper. There's even debate that he may...

Light the beacons and gather your movie-going fellowship of friends: a new Lord of the Rings movie is out now in theaters! The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an anime prequel film from director Kenji Kamiyama, set 183 years before The Hobbit when the forces of Mordor were quiet and Rohan was ruled by a fearsome king named Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox). Hammerhand is a mythic figure in Tolkien's lore, and the man for whom the famed fortress of Helm's Deep, which features heavily in The Two Towers, is named.

But who was he really? And was his legend truly all his own? The War of the Rohirrim brings this story to life for the first time onscreen, expanding Helm as a character and building out the role of his daughter, Héra (Gaia Wise), who is mentioned but never even named in Tolkien's writing. Here, Héra...

The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim has debuted to $4.6 million at the box office, according to a recent report by Variety. However, it was revealed that the film’s performance in the box office was not Warner Bros.’ primary focus.

The anime film, which was produced on a $30 million budget, was developed and rushed into production primarily to safeguard New Line Cinema’s rights to adapt J. R. R. Tolkien’s works.

The studio has held these rights through a licensing agreement with Zaentz Co. since the late 1990s. Though the specific terms of the contract are not public, it is believed that Warner Bros. is required to maintain active development and production of Tolkien-related projects to retain the rights.

In early 2022, Zaentz Co., which controls a portfolio of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit rights, reportedly began exploring a sale of its Tolkien holdings.

RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 13-15)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Moana 2(Disney) £3.6m £26.5m 3 2. Wicked(Universal) £3.5m £43.6m 4 3. Gladiator II(Paramount) £918,000 £28.5m 5 4. Paddington In Peru(Studiocanal) £821,166 £30.2m 6 5. Kraven The Hunter(Sony) £686,806 £686,806 1

Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26

Kraven The Hunter had the lowest debut of any Sony-produced Marvel title at the UK and Ireland box office this weekend, while holdoversMoana 2, Wicked and Gladiator II stayed locked in at the top.

Disney’s Moana 2clung on to the top spot for a third week in a row with £3.6m. The animated sequel has a total of £26.5m and is now the...

Is A New Lord of the Rings Trilogy Happening? (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Can we expect the return of another The Lord of the Rings trilogy? Well, get excited, Tolkien fans, because Philippa Boyes, the co-writer of the iconic movie trilogy, has recently teased a potential new trilogy that is in the works.

It turns out that after Peter Jackson’s original fantasy trilogy rocked the box office from 2001 to 2003, and of course, his return for The Hobbit, it seems Middle-earth may not be done with us. And we honestly don’t want them to be done with us. First, we have the anime The War of the Rohirrim that hit the theaters recently, and then The Hunt for Gollum, which is in development with Jackson on board as producer. Looks like the adventure is far from over.

All About The Lord of the Rings’ Potential New Trilogy

In a recent chat with The Playlist,...

You shall not pass ... unless you've watched "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim," that is. This article contains major spoilers.

The world of Middle-earth is expanding. "Rings of Power" gave us one of the biggest tragedies in the legendarium with the fall of Celebrimbor and the creation of the Nine Rings of Power, and there's also the upcoming "Hunt for Gollum" movie waiting to fill in unnecessary gaps in the story.

This is what makes "The War of the Rohirrim" so exciting. This is the first animated Middle-earth project since the 1980 Rankin/Bass "The Return of the King." The film is also technically a prequel, like "Rings of Power," but rather than serve as an explanation for a big event, filled with cameos and references, this is a standalone movie about a relatively important yet not monumental chapter in the history of Rohan. Indeed, the biggest...

Here’s Why Benedict Cumberbatch Nearly Left Sherlock Season 4 ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Benedict Cumberbatch almost left Baker Street behind. Back in the day, juggling the demands of Sherlock with a skyrocketing movie career made the idea of returning to the detective drama… well, elementary in its difficulty. For a moment, fans risked losing their beloved sleuth to a packed schedule.

According to the BBC, Steven Moffat, co-creator of Sherlock, spilled the tea at a BAFTA Television Awards nominees party. He revealed it was no easy feat to convince Cumberbatch — or his on-screen partner, Martin Freeman — to commit to Season 4. “They don’t need Sherlock anymore,” Moffat admitted. Both actors were already Hollywood darlings, with Cumberbatch making waves as Doctor Strange and Freeman shining in The Hobbit.

Despite their packed calendars, Moffat managed to lock them in for a fourth season, a feat he didn’t think would happen. “I didn...

You shall not pass ... unless you've already watched "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim," that is. This article contains major spoilers.

As sprawling and expansive as the world of Middle-earth is, there's something to be said for how so many stories set in the Third Age all tend to tie back to the events of the "The Lord of the Rings." The franchise's first anime offering, "The War of the Rohirrim" (which I reviewed for /Film here), shows plenty of promise as a standalone feature debuting a whole new cast of characters. The war between the Dunlendings and the Rohirrim takes centerstage for much of the action, and Hèra (Gaia Wise) and Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) develop a love/hate dynamic that fans will almost assuredly feel drawn to throughout the film. By the end, however, director Kenji Kamiyama and his creative team leave behind all sorts...

It's safe to say Philippa Boyens knows her way around a J.R.R. Tolkien adaptation. After getting her start in the world of theater, the playwright made her screenwriting debut co-writing the script for Peter Jackson's beloved original "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, winning an Oscar for "The Return of the King." In addition to her work on films like "King Kong," "The Lovely Bones," "District 9," and "Mortal Engines," Boyens co-wrote and co-produced "The Hobbit" trilogy and will be mining Tolkien's writing yet again in the upcoming "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," which has Gollum actor Andy Serkis on board as a director.

But first, Boyens has explored Middle-earth in a new way by producing and cooking up the story for "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim," the first anime feature film set in this universe. /Film's review calls it "dazzling but inessential,...

Lord Of The Rings War Of The Rohirrim Scene (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Middle-earth is back, but it’s getting an anime twist with The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim this time. Set centuries before the whole ring-and-hobbit drama, this 2024 flick focuses on Helm Hammerhead (voiced by Brian Cox) and his daughter Héra (Gaia Wise) as they battle the Dunlendings led by the sinister Wulf (Luke Pasqualino). It has all the Lord of the Rings vibes you love but with a new animated flair. The big question on every fan’s mind is, does the movie end with a post-credits scene that’ll tease the iconic trilogy? Let’s find out.

Does Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Have a Post-Credits Scene?

So, here’s the scoop: The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim skips the post-credits scene fanfare. There are no mid- or end-credit surprises,...

The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ended with Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) facing off with Sauron (Charlie Vickers), her old frenemy. The two fought in a pitched people and Sauron finally made off with the Nine Rings meant for mortal men. But Galadriel wouldn't give him the three Elven rings, choosing to plunge off a cliff rather than relinquish them.

As we go into season 3, Sauron is growing in power, having destroyed the Elven city of Eregion and drafted Adar's army of orcs to his side. But the elves aren't things lying down; at the very end of the season, it seems like they establish the stronghold of Rivendell, the last homely house, which is familiar to fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

We got to talk to Morfydd Clark and Charlie Vickers about playing Galadriel and Sauron, what...

J.R.R. Tolkien doesn’t get much more Heavy Metal than Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan and the focus of Lord Of The Rings’ first anime feature, The War Of The Rohirrim. Known for killing a man in a single blow before stalking and murdering his enemies one at a time,...

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a new animated Lord of the Rings film from director Kenji Kamiyama. It takes place nearly 200 years before The Lord of the Rings story most of us know, and concerns a conflict between the horse-loving people of Rohan — ruled over by Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox) with an assist from his daughter Héra (Gaia Wise) — and a Dunlending lord named Wulf (Luke Pasqualino).

I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan from way back, so I was cautiously interested in this movie. The animation looks a little choppy, I told myself, but if the reviews were good I'd try and see this in the theaters.

Well, the reviews are coming in, and while they could be worse, they're not great. Most critics are pretty blah on the movie. Here's a sampling:

Independent: "The War of the Rohirrim is invested entirely...

The plundering of Jrr Tolkien’s source material continues with this plodding adventure turning a footnote into a film

The rationale for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is not in its artistry. Sure, there’s something lovely and almost tactile in this anime take on Jrr Tolkien, the hand-drawn Japanese styles renovating Middle-earth to suit its tastes. That’s not justification enough to sit through a plodding and joyless spin-off, the latest in content mined from Tolkien’s books following Peter Jackson’s Rings and The Hobbit trilogies and an Amazon prequel series now in its second season.

For those already battling Tolkien fatigue, brace yourselves for a new batch of movies beginning with Andy Serkis’s The Hunt for Gollum. This is just where limitless IP plundering intersecting with the limited imagination in an industry chasing algorithms has gotten us. And by that math,...

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an original anime which arrives in theaters this weekend. In the movie, we'll return to Middle-earth for a story revealing the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan.

As with any sort set in the iconic world previously brought to life in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (based on the revered books by J.R.R. Tolkien), expectations are high.

Those have been raised thanks to Peter Jackson's return as producer; Kamiyama (Blade Runner: Black Lotus) is in the director's chair and the movie has generated a lot of excitement among fans of Middle-earth since first being announced.

However, as we first reported on SFFGazette.com, while the first wave of reviews may be described best as "mid," longtime fans of this world are likely to find something to love.

As usual, we'll start with the trades.

When I think of the new animated movie “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” I think of the words of the legendary public speaker Bilbo Baggins, who probably would have described it like this: “I like half of it half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of it half as well as it deserves.”

Mr. Baggins was a harsh critic, but he knew how to turn a phrase. His famous quote from “The Fellowship of the Ring” cleverly articulates that something isn’t very good while simultaneously allowing that some of it may be okay, and you’re just too annoyed to care. “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is an underwhelming production with hit-and-miss animation (mostly miss) and largely generic performances, and yet it’s not a complete washout.

“The War of the Rohirrim” is...

Of all the blockbusters to receive the never-ending franchise revival treatment, "The Lord of the Rings" was always going to be the toughest nut to crack. Prime Video found this out the hard way with their "The Rings of Power" streaming series, seemingly unprepared for the feedback from a (let's call it passionate) fanbase that might as well have multiple PhDs in J.R.R. Tolkien apologia and never take kindly to deviations from established canon. And as anyone who sat through the mind-numbing "The Hobbit" trilogy can attest, we've already seen what happens when the fine line between art and commerce isn't merely crossed, but obliterated. In that sense, Middle-earth is the furthest thing from the mystical realm of Shambhala, blissfully isolated from Hollywood getting its grubby little hands on it. It's over a decade too late for that, I'm afraid.

So it falls upon "The War of the Rohirrim" to...

Long before Peter Jackson took a swing at “The Lord of the Rings,” audiences got a glimpse into the fantasy realm of J.R.R. Tolkien via a trio of late-’70s animated projects: two animated TV specials produced by Rankin/Bass (of which “The Hobbit” remains fairly well liked) and a dark and ominous big-screen feature from Ralph Bakshi (director of sci-fi psych-out “Wizards”). So there’s not just precedent, but a certain kind of poetry to Jackson and screenwriter Philippa Boyens commissioning an intense, hand-drawn extension to the existing mythology, like the one represented by “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.”

When I say “poetry,” I suppose I’m referring to the kind you might find at your local Renaissance festival, accompanied by pipe music and a handful of costumed eccentrics doing a jig. The real selling point of “The War of the Rohirrim” is not that it’s animated,...

Gilmore Girls still remains a beloved TV show, despite being off the air for years.

If you don’t know, the smash-hit series ran from 2000-2007. Every fall, the show sees a surge in streaming numbers due to the show’s lovely autumn atmosphere and cozy vibes. The series starred Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop, Edward Herrmann, Scott Patterson, Milo Ventimiglia, Jared Padalecki, Matt Czuchry, and others.

Well, ever since Netflix rebooted the show in 2016′s Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, fans have wanted more.

Lauren was asked about a potential spinoff.

Keep reading to find out more…

She offered up 1 idea she thinks could work: “You could do the high school Lorelai.”

“We’re talking about this as if it’s like The Hobbit or something, which I’m not sure it is. But I think the way other universes have dealt with that question is just going back or forward,...

Peter Jackson once ruled Middle-earth, but his return with The Hobbit trilogy? Let’s just say the magic didn’t quite make it to the Shire. Looking back, even Jackson admitted he had doubts before diving in, yet he pressed on — and the result left fans and critics scratching their heads. What was meant to be an epic prequel turned into an overstretched trilogy that couldn’t recapture the brilliance of The Lord of the Rings.

Peter Jackson. | Credit: image by: Mike Walen, licenced under Cca-by-sa-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

From pacing problems to over-reliance on CGI, Jackson’s instincts might’ve saved him. Instead, The Hobbit became the saga that tarnished a legacy once considered untouchable.

From Masterpiece to Misstep: How The Hobbit Challenged Peter Jackson’s Legacy A still from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Peter Jackson knew stepping back into Middle-earth was a gamble.

Viggo Mortensen – one of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy’s stars – has an open invitation to return for the planned prequel film.

If there’s one thing that Jrr Tolkien loved it’s an appendix. His legendary trilogy of genre-defining fantasy novels, The Lord Of The Rings, featured many, many appendices which added detail to the world of Middle-earth.

With Tolkien’s trilogy of books having received their own definitive film adaptations courtesy of director Peter Jackson and lots and lots of talented collaborators in the early 2000s, any future stories based in Jackson’s spin on Middle-earth are going to stem from the details and narrative threads that Tolkien left in those numerous nuggets of story.

One such story thread is the hunt for Gollum, a piece of Middle-earth mythology that fans know about but only exists canonically in the faintest of detail. The events concern Aragorn’s...

The upcoming "The Hunt for Gollum" movie from Warner Bros. has been stirring up interest and intrigue from the moment it was announced earlier this year. Overall, the reaction has been positive, and there has been a general buzz as news leaked that the movie will be directed by Andy Serkis and have Peter Jackson and other Middle-earth alumni on board. British national treasure Ian McKellen also revealed that he had been approached to reprise his role as Gandalf, and John Rhy-Davies even expressed interest in a return (sans makeup).

Despite all of these fun developments, the most recent bit of news regarding potential casting takes the cake. The powers that be are talking with the man himself, Viggo Mortensen, to return as Aragorn. In an interview with The Playlist, writer Philippa Boyens said that she, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh (collectively referred to as the "brain trust" of the...

The tales of Helm Hammerhand are true. Before you return to Middle-earth, Warner Bros. Pictures has brought online an extended preview of New Line Cinema’s The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.

The New Line Cinema anime feature returns audiences to the epic world brought to life in The Lord of the Rings trilogy based on the revered books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Rated PG-13 for strong violence, the film will open in theaters on December 13.

Under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama (the Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex TV series), the voice cast is led by Brian Cox (Succession) as Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan; Gaia Wise (A Walk in the Woods) as his daughter Héra; and Luke Pasqualino (Snowpiercer) as Wulf.

Miranda Otto, who delivered an unforgettable, award-winning performance in The Lord of the Rings trilogy,...

Yesterday, Sony Pictures was mocked by many for releasing the opening 8 minutes of Kraven the Hunter. It was deemed a "desperate" move to increase interest in the studio's latest Marvel movie which shares a release date - December 13 - with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.

Warner Bros. Discovery has today responded by releasing the first 8 minutes of its animated prequel (via SFFGazette.com), offering fans a better idea of what to expect from this adventure.

In The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an original anime feature being released in theaters by New Line Cinema, we'll return to Middle-earth, the iconic world previously brought to life in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, based on the revered books by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The impressive voice cast is led by Brian Cox (Succession) as Helm Hammerhand, the mighty King of Rohan; Gaia Wise (A Walk in the Woods...