Returning to Middle-earth might take a while after it was announced that the release date of The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim has been pushed back. This upcoming animated fantasy flick is still set to come out in 2024, but it will arrive a bit later than originally intended.
Initially, War Of The Rohirrim was scheduled for release on April 12, 2024. Unfortunately, that date was changed to Dec. 13, 2024. According to Deadline, Warner Bros. decided to reschedule the film due to Dune: Part Two also being pushed back. Legendary Entertainment shifted the science-fiction epic from its original Nov. 3, 2023 release to March 15, 2024, due to the availability of actors caused by the SAG-AFTRA strikes. This change also prompted Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire to move its release date to April 12, 2024, when it was originally scheduled for March 15.
It seems that these major blockbusters are avoiding competition with the Dune sequel, despite the Barbenheimer phenomenon being proven to be successful. Not to mention, it is something that both Paw Patrol and Saw are attempting to replicate.
War Of The Rohirrim is an animated feature based on the story of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan, who will be voiced by Succession star, Brian Cox. This prequel is set two centuries before the events of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, however, Peter Jackson will not be involved. The fantasy epic will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama, known for his work on the Ghost in the Shell anime, Star Wars Visions‘ “The Ninth Jedi,” and Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Instead of competing with Dune, War Of The Rohirrim will now face Sony’s reboot of The Karate Kid, which is also scheduled to hit theaters Dec. 13, 2024.