Did you spot these hidden Lord of the Rings cameos in the new movie?

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As a die-hard fan of Middle-earth, I must say that my heart skipped a beat when I discovered the delightful cameos in “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.” Being immersed in Tolkien’s world for so long, it was like revisiting old friends – even if they were orcs this time around!

The film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” transports us once more to the world of Middle-earth, vividly adapting another tale penned by J.R.R. Tolkien from his appendices.

183 years before the storyline of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s understandable that characters like Frodo, Sam, and Gollum wouldn’t appear. Yet, we were aware that Miranda Otto was returning to her role as Éowyn to provide narration for the upcoming movie.

Prior to its premiere, it became known that Saruman’s character in the movie was portrayed using old recordings of Christopher Lee instead of the digital recreation techniques used in films like “Rogue One” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”.

It’s possible that, despite having watched the movie, you may not have noticed that “The War of the Rohirrim” features two other stars from “The Lord of the Rings” in brief appearances, but not portraying their original characters.

In order to clarify who we’re referring to, I must delve into some minor details that could be considered spoilers, so avert your eyes if you haven’t watched the movie yet.

The War of the Rohirrim cameos explained

Amidst the tumultuous battle at the fortress later named Helm’s Deep, in homage to Helm Hammerhand, I stumbled upon a hidden tunnel that plunged us deeper within the fortress and out beyond its protective walls.

When she steps outside, Hera encounters two orcs named Wrot and Shank, who are looting dead bodies for rings. In a not-so-subtle reference to the original trilogy, Wrot asks, “What is Mordor after with these rings?

They’ll never find out, as Helm Hammerhand arrives to quickly dispatch of the pair of them, and the Snow Troll they’re travelling with.

However, what truly matters isn’t mentioned above. What truly excites fans is the fact that Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd will be lending their voices to characters Wrot and Shank, respectively. This announcement signifies their return to the Middle-earth universe for a second role.

Want to see what Merry and Pippin look like when they’re voicing orcs? Of course you do:

Those glorious images came courtesy of a behind-the-scenes featurette released by Warner Bros last month, which included brief footage of the duo recording their lines as Wrot and Shank.

Back then, we hadn’t realized it was the orcs speaking, but maybe we should have guessed based on their facial expressions in the video recordings.

For fans of “Lord of the Rings,” there are no unexpected cameos to be found, except perhaps if you weren’t aware that Saruman was making a comeback.

Throughout the movie, you’ll find yourself anxiously waiting for it, as it only appears at the very end. When Saruman, now ruling Isengard, pays a visit to the newly-crowned King of Rohan, Fréaláf, he offers his assistance if ever the king should need it – a promise that ultimately proves significant for Théoden, Fréaláf’s later successor.

Towards the finale, there’s a subtle reference to Gandalf, as Hera sets off to consult him regarding Wrot and Shank’s interest in rings. However, Gandalf himself doesn’t appear on screen. If The War of the Rohirrim turns out to be a hit, we might get to see more of Gandalf in future films.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is out now in cinemas.

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2024-12-13 15:49