October 31st 2024.
In exciting news for fans of The Lord of the Rings franchise, a new movie is in the works that will feature a beloved character from the original film series. This character is none other than Saruman, the wise and powerful wizard leader of the Istari, who was portrayed by the late Christopher Lee.
The original Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, captured the hearts of audiences with its spectacular storytelling and talented ensemble cast. The films, which were released between 2001 and 2003, included The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Alongside Lee, the star-studded cast featured Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, and more.
Lee also reprised his role as Saruman in The Hobbit film trilogy, released between 2012 and 2014. Unfortunately, the talented actor passed away in 2015 at the age of 93, leaving behind a legacy that spanned six decades. But now, almost a decade later, he will make a posthumous appearance in the upcoming Lord of the Rings movie.
The War of Rohirrim, an anime film set to be released on December 13, takes place before the events of the original Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The film will feature Lee's character, Saruman, through the use of archival recordings of his previous line readings. Philippa Boyens, a longtime collaborator of Peter Jackson and co-writer of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, explained how this was achieved without the use of AI.
"We went into his recordings and I got to hear his voice, not just doing his lines, but talking to us as we were recording him," Boyens shared with TheOneRing.net at New York ComicCon. She also mentioned that they based his performance in The War of Rohirrim on a line from The Hobbit and were able to find different takes and change it up a bit. She expressed her gratitude for being able to use Lee's authentic performance in the film.
The team behind the movie also sought permission from Lee's widow, Gitte, who has since passed away, to include the old recordings. While there may be some backlash or suggestions that another actor could have replicated Lee's voice, Boyens firmly stated, "I don't think so. I'm so glad we used his own voice." Fans of the franchise also applauded this approach, saying it respectfully honored the late star.
However, there were also differing opinions on the matter. Some felt that it would have been better to recast the role, while others found it strange to use archived audio of a deceased actor.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is set 183 years before the events of the original film trilogy and follows the story of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan, and his family as they defend their kingdom against an invading army. The star-studded cast includes Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto, Laurence Ubong Williams, and Shaun Dooley.
This exciting announcement has sparked much anticipation among fans and has even brought back the emotional presence of Christopher Lee in this iconic role. It's clear that his love for Tolkien and his memorable performance as Saruman will continue to be cherished and remembered for years to come.
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