Lord of the Rings fans can get ready to experience one of J.R.R. Tolkien's stories in the form of a Japanese animation feature film. Warner Bros. released a trailer The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim on Thursday, giving a glimpse of how the action-packed movie will look on the big screen.
The trailer teases the infamous battle in Middle-earth over the powerful kingdom of Rohan, a bloodthirsty quest for vengeance and mythical-like creatures in a time set 183 years before the events of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy films. Peace -- and victory -- for King Helm's people may rest on his daughter's shoulders. Can she lead the way to save them from a deadly siege?
First announced three years ago, the prequel is directed by Kenji Kamiyama and will center on Helm Hammerhand, the last king in the first Rohan line. Known for his strength and somewhat dour demeanor, Helm's tale is one of grief, death, resurrection and a ring of power. Brian Cox will voice the king, while the cast also includes Gaia Wise as Héra (Helm's daughter), Luke Pasqualino as Wulf and Miranda Otto narrating in her role as Éowyn.
Though this is not the first time Tolkien's books have been adapted as animated releases, it marks the first anime version of a LOTR story. Kamiyama is well-versed in the style, as he's known for his work on Ghost in the Shell, Star Wars: Visions, Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Akira. Peter Jackson serves as an executive producer for War of the Rohirrim, a film made in partnership between Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. The anime is due to arrive in theaters on Dec. 13.