A Major Lord Of The Rings Star Will Reprise Their Role For War Of The Rohirrim

As Amazon Studios' "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" series slowly creeps nearer, all eyes are fixed on the live-action, serialized adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's incredible fantasy world. The show promises to reveal a new iteration of Middle-earth that, from the footage we've seen so far, will be both similar to and different from that depicted in Peter Jackson's acclaimed "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Meanwhile, another contender has quietly been building some serious steam. A year ago, New Line Cinema and Warner Animation announced that they were fast-tracking yet another Tolkien adaptation that promises to dive into new stories ... in a new medium. "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" won't just be an animated feature — it will be an anime. The movie will center on a story that takes place approximately 260 years before the One Ring perishes in the fires of Mount Doom and will trace one of the most dramatic chapters in Rohan's history, providing the backstory for how the epic fortress of Helm's Deep got its name.

Just announced by Deadline, the back end of the production is riddled with talent, including several alumni of Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The Academy Award-winning screenwriter Philippa Boyens is an executive producer on the project. Illustrators Alan Lee and John Howe are involved too, as is Wētā Workshop founder and special effects master Richard Taylor.

As if bringing all this incredible talent back to Middle-earth after a 20-year hiatus weren't enough, an on-screen "Lord of the Rings" star will also be involved in the production. After a year of waiting officially in the tank, the bulk of the voice casting has been completed ... and it includes none other than Miranda Otto herself.

High on the list of actors hired for "The War of the Rohirrim" is Brian Cox ("X2: X-Men United," "Troy"), who will be voicing the Rohirric king Helm Hammerhand. Relative newcomer Gaia Wise ("A Walk in the Woods") will be portraying the role of Helm's daughter, Hera, and Luke Pasqualino ("Snowpiercer") will be providing the vocals for the film's antagonist, the Dunlending leader, Wulf.

The brief includes many other names, some notable and others less so, but there's one person on the list who stands out above the rest: Miranda Otto. The Australian actor is well-known for playing the role of Éowyn in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Her duel with the Witch-king of Angmar is epic, and her unrequited love for Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is a major theme in the later portions of the story.

And now, decades after stepping out of the Middle-earth limelight, the shieldmaiden will be taking her place once again as a heroic member of the ruling house of Rohan. However, she won't be playing a central part in the story itself. With the tale taking place more than a quarter of a millennium before the events of the War of the Ring, it would be difficult to find a way to get Éowyn directly involved in the script sans a time machine — which would go against Tolkien's strict disapproval of industry and machines.

Instead, Deadline clarifies that the beloved actor will fill the role of narrator for the film. The only disappointing part of the report is the fact that "The War of the Rohirrim" is set for an April 12, 2024, release date ... which means we have a long time to wait before we hear Otto's Éowyn return to the Mark.