LOS ANGELES: The anime feature 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim', which is set roughly two centuries before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings', has secured April 12, 2024 as its release date.
As per Variety, Kenji Kamiyama, whose credits include TV series 'Blade Runner: Black Lotus' and 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex', has taken the onus of directing the feature along with 'Blade Runner: Black Lotus' producer Joseph Chou through his anime studio Sola Entertainment.
Philippa Boyens, who was on the Academy award-winning screenwriting team for 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies, will join the team as the executive producer for the film which is yet to make announcements with regards to its voice casting.
Boyens' daughter, Phoebe Gittins, and writing partner Arty Papageorgiou are penning the screenplay based on written source material from Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. In addition, the creative team includes Richard Taylor (the Academy Award winner for makeup and visual effects for 'The Lord of the Rings'), Alan Lee (who won an Oscar for art direction for 'LOTR'), along with Tolkien illustrator John Howe.
ALSO READ | Amazon unveils first teaser of 'Lord of the Rings' prequel series at Super Bowl
Talking about the film's creative army, Philippa Boyens said in a statement accessed by Variety, "I'm in awe of the creative talent who have come together to bring this epic, heart-pounding story to life, from the mastery of Kenji Kamiyama to a truly stellar cast."
Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros Pictures Group chairman added, "The 'Lord of the Rings' films took Tolkien's masterwork to new cinematic heights and inspired a generation. It's a gift to be able to revisit Middle-Earth with many of the same creative visionaries and the talented Kenji Kamiyama at the helm. This will be an epic portrayal unlike anything audiences have ever seen."