15 Jun – New Line recently announced that it has partnered with Warner Bros. Animation to produce an original anime set in "The Lord of the Rings" world. The upcoming stand-alone feature, titled, "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim", will focus on the untold story behind Helm's Deep, the fortress at the centre of the movie's epic battle and its founder, Helm Hammerhand - though set hundreds of years before the fateful war.
It will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama, known for the TV series, "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex", and produced by Kamiyama's producing partner Joseph Chou, of whom he worked with in franchises like "Ultraman" and "Appleseed". On the other hand, Philippa Boyens, who previously co-wrote the said JRR Tolkien adaptation alongside filmmaker Peter Jackson, will be serving as consultant for the project. Jackson will not be involved in the project.
In a statement released to the media, Warner Bros. Pictures Group COO Carolyn Blackwood and New Line president and CCO Richard Brener stated, "Fans know Helm's Deep as the stage for one of the greatest battles ever put to film and, with many of the same creative visionaries involved and the brilliant Kenji Kamiyama at the helm, we couldn't be more excited to deliver a fresh vision of its history that will invite global audiences to experience the rich, complex saga of Middle-earth in a thrilling new way."