WaterTower Music, Warner Bros.’ in-house music label, has unveiled the official theme song for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
The track, titled “The Rider,” is performed by English breakout artist Paris Paloma. The song was written and produced by Phoebe Gittins and David Long.
The music video for The Rider and its album cover art can be viewed below:
Producer Philippa Boyens praised the new addition to the franchise’s music legacy, stating, “Paris Paloma’s incredible performance of The Rider follows in the great tradition of powerful, heartfelt songs within The Lord of the Rings cinema universe. Her voice perfectly imbues the emotion, courage, and indefinable magic that is Middle-earth.”
A lifelong fan of Tolkien’s works, Paloma also expressed her excitement about being part of the franchise.
“I became completely immersed in Middle-earth, both in the books and the movies, and I have never found a world or a story since that inspires me more than this one that Tolkien built. It is an incredible dream come true to have recorded this song for The War of the Rohirrim, telling the story of Héra, daughter of Helm Hammerhand. To be a part of this family and of Middle-earth is something I will cherish forever,” she shared.
The full soundtrack, composed by Stephen Gallagher, will be available on Dec 6, 2024.
Additionally, physical editions of the soundtrack, including a 4LP vinyl set and a 2x CD version, will be released through Mutant in collaboration with WaterTower Music.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim is slated to release in U.S. on Dec 13, 2024, and internationally on Dec 11, 2024.
Kenji Kamiyama, known for his work on Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Eden Of The East, will direct the film, with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, Sam Register, Carolyn Blackwood and Toby Emmerich serving as executive producers.
It is produced by produced by Oscar winner Philippa Boyens, known for her work on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, alongside Jason DeMarco and Joseph Chou.
During an interview with Anime Expo, director Kenji Kamiyama spoke about the female representation in the film.
“In Japanese animation, it’s not uncommon for a female protagonist to be the main character, but it’s more rare in the live-action films made from The Lord of the Rings. Our film has a strong female lead in Héra, and our story is narrated by the noble Tolkien figure Éowyn, so women are very well represented. I think there are a lot of fans who really like Tolkien’s original work, so I hope those people will enjoy it. Making this movie has been a fun challenge.”
Voice cast includes:
- Gaia Wise as Héra
- Brian Cox as Helm Hammerhand
- Luke Pasqualino as Wulf
- Miranda Otto as Éowyn & Narrator
The cast also include Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna, and Janine Duvitski.
The plot of The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim is described as follows:
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.
Source: Press Release
