The War of the Rohirrim

Lord of the Rings has made a return to cinemas with the release of its highly anticipated new anime movie, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Following the war between the kingdom of Rohan and the Dunlendings, the movie is filled with mighty warriors, with each kingdom’s respective leaders, Helm Hammerhead and Wulf, being fearsome individuals. In between the conflict, the protagonist, Hèra, manages to become a force to be reckoned with as the heroine steps up to fight in a battle of epic proportions.

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Like The War of the Rohirrim, there are many movies that share similar aspects, touching upon fragments of the fantasy genre, acting as great alternatives for fans of the new LOTR movie if the tale from Middle-Earth prompts enough interest and intrigue. Since they are from the same franchise, the LOTR and The Hobbit trilogies will not be included alongside the LOTR animated movie from 1978.

6

Brave (2012)

Pixar Classic Following Princess That Goes Against The Grain

Among the catalog of Disney Pixar franchises, Brave thrives in its fantasy setting featuring kings, archery, and warfare. Telling the story of the iconic and heroic Merida, set in medieval Scotland, the princess opts to reject marriage, causing an uproar in the kingdom in which her loudmouth father rules, with Merida and King Fergus’ relationship mirroring Hèra and Helm’s father-daughter bond from The War of the Rohirrim.

As this occurs, Merida’s mother falls victim to a curse, with the heroine trying to heroically save the kingdom and her mother. Like Hèra, Merida shows defiance towards the status quo, starting a shift in the depiction of female protagonists, with her skill as an archer being the opposite of the damsel in distress trope so commonly found in movies of the 20th century.

5

The Last Unicorn (1982)

Classic Fantasy Film Featuring Magic And Unicorns

One of the 20th century’s most underappreciated animated movies, The Last Unicorn, brought forth an intriguing story and a world full of mystical beasts, magic, and high fantasy characters much akin to The War of the Rohirrim. Featuring a star-studded cast, The Last Unicorn depicts a unicorn going on an adventure to try and find the rest of her kind, with the unicorn bringing along a clumsy wizard and a trusty woman on her travels.

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While having aspects of a musical, The Last Unicorn provides a grand world with the protagonist exploring themes of loss, love, kinship, and regret, making the movie a fascinating watch for audiences who yearn for the mythical storytelling shown in The War of the Rohirrim.

4

Wolfwalkers (2020)

Wolves And Warfare Shows Up In Irish Independent Movie

The Irish independent film Wolfwalkers has emerged as an underrated gem in the animation genre, exploring Irish folklore and fantasy with such care and grace. Set in Ireland, Wolfwalkers follows the hunter Robyn Goodfellowe, who befriends Mebh, a girl who belongs to a group who many believe to transform into wolves at night.

Among the budding friendship between its female protagonists, Wolfwalkers excels through its distinctive art style, depicting a radiant and colorful Ireland filled with everything from vivid forests to medieval townsfolk, producing a beautiful spectacle that offers a lot of heart. For fans of Hèra and Helm’s fractured relationship throughout the action-packed The War of the Rohirrim, Robyn and her father Bill’s familial strain plays a pivotal part in the narrative, sharing similarities to the latest entry in Middle-Earth.

3

Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984)

Female Protagonist Caught In War Between Two Nations

One of Hayao Miyazaki’s first movies, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, broke through several barriers in the 1980s, furthering the adventure and fantasy genres through the inclusion of an empowered female protagonist in the form of Nausicaä. As a princess of the Valley of the Wind, Nausicaä fights to achieve peace as opposing nations come to blows, threatening themselves and the environment.

While chaos erupts around her, Nausicaä remains calm and levelheaded, with the princess showing true leadership and her skill in combat despite wanting to avoid conflict. Along with the film, Nausicaä has influenced anime protagonists for generations, such as Hèra from LOTR, with the forward-thinking female character being one of many examples of Studio Ghibli’s depiction of strong female leads in male-dominated genres.

2

How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

Successful Animated Franchise Focusing On A Fantasy World Featuring Dragons And Vikings

Spanning across three movies, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise has spawned an array of enthralling and entertaining movies following the adventures of Viking Hiccup and his dragon best friend, Toothless. Similar to The War of the Rohirrim in its animated fantasy setting teeming with brave warriors and fierce dragons, Hiccup and Toothless’s unlikely friendship and journey see them endure many trials and tribulations. However, their relationship survives and thrives despite dragons and Vikings being at war.

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While perfectly encapsulating characteristics of the fantasy genre, How to Train Your Dragon emerges as a child-friendly franchise that succeeds in providing a fun and epic whirlwind adventure carried by its fleshed-out world and cast of characters, led by the incomparable Hiccup and Toothless.

1

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Legendary Studio Ghibli Movie Featuring A Powerful Heroine That Lives With Wolves

Among Miyazaki’s catalog of timeless classics, the famed director brought forth Princess Mononoke at the end of the 20th century, stunning audiences with its revolutionary animation and compelling story that plays as a perfect mix of fantasy and adventure.

While the movie tells the story of the young warrior Ashitaka, who finds himself in a war between clans and nature, a wolf girl named San is revealed to be a central character in the proceedings, portraying a strong heroine who fights to save her animal family and the surrounding environment. Along with its slick animation that was ahead of its time, the influence of Princess Mononoke is undeniable in cinema and animation, owing much to the depiction of the heroine San, opening doors for protagonists of the future, such as The War of the Rohirrim’s Hèra, who operate as strong and independent warriors willing to fight for their cause.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Release Date

December 13, 2024

Director

Kenji Kamiyama

Cast

Brian Cox
, Miranda Otto
, Gaia Wise
, Luke Pasqualino
, Laurence Ubong
, Shaun Dooley

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures