As fans await The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, there’s another new Middle-earth movie set for release this Christmas.

Taking place two centuries before the events of JRR Tolkien’s epic film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim focuses on Helm Hammerhand, the namesake of Helm’s Deep from The Two Towers.

Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, this official film is an anime feature from the screenwriting team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

The official synopsis reads: “Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan.

“A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep.

“Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.”

The film stars Brian Cox as Helm Hammerhead and features Miranda Otto, reprising her role of Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, from The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Her character will serve as the tale’s narrator.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim lands in UK cinemas on December 13, 2024.