Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’The famously massive world ofPeter Jackson’s acclaimed interpretation ofJ.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsis expanding like never before withThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Not only is this the first film in this continuity in a decade, but it’s also the first of many planned spin-offs that Warner Bros. Discovery and Peter Jackson have planned. Set hundreds of years before the events ofThe Hobbittrilogy, this new story dives into a key point in the history of the Riders of Rohan, which includes the origins behind one of the franchise’s most iconic locations — Helm’s Deep.
The new animated film boasts an ensemble voice cast, with each of the cast members bringing something new to Peter Jackson’s expansive universe. Whether they be friend or foe or hero or villain, there’s a real possibility that some or many of these new characters are destined to be fan favorites. Wondering who’s behind the voices of these numerous characters?Read on for our comprehensive cast and character guide forThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Helm Hammerhand
Brian Coxbrought larger-than-life bravado to a modern-day setting with the smash-hit HBO series,Succession, where he played the central cruel business mogul by the name of Logan Roy. He plays another significant leader inThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, albeit in a more likable capacity.
Helm Hammerhand may not be the main protagonist ofThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, but anyone who is deeply familiar with Tolkien lore will immediately recognize the name. The ninth king of Rohan became legendary in his age for his namesake, that being his immense strength and ability to kill a man with his bare hands. Helm is most infamous for the accidental killing of his rival, Lord Freca (Shaun Dooley), who he slew with a single punch. This, of course, then started a bloody war between the Rohirrim and the Dunlendings. Following his death in the war, the massive mountainside hold and fortress that the Rohirrim withdrew to in order to find safety was named “Helm’s Deep” in the king’s honor.
A distinct and dramatic reimagining of a little-known Tolkien character is brought to life by relative newcomer andThe Chelsea DetectivestarGaia Wise.
Hèra is the third child and only daughter of Helm Hammerhand, who was originally unnamed in Tolkien’s original work. Here, she is given a greatly expanded role, with her combating the societal norms of her people’s culture to try and forge her own path in Middle-earth. Having grown up alongside her brothers, Haleth (Benjamin Wainwright) and Hama (Yazdan Qafouri), Hèra spends much of her life not being treated as an equal. In many ways, her tale is tragic, as she watches her father and brothers perish in the wake of Wulf’s bloodlust and will not be remembered in history. However, her victory over the Dunlendings does give her a more noble purpose and even catches the attention of a certain wizard named Gandalf (Ian McKellen).
Luke Pasqualino
The War of the Rohirrimmay not have Sauron or Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch), but it does still have a new ruthless villain inSnowpiercerstar Luke Pasqualino.
Once upon a time, Wulf was a noble companion of Hèra’s, even taking the blame when she accidentally scarred him as a child. It’s abundantly clear that Wulf has had feelings for Hèra since those days, and while Hèra cares deeply for her friend, she doesn’t share those romantic feelings. Couple that with Helm killing his father, and this is enough for Wulf to go on an ill-fated rampage against Rohan, slaughtering Hèra’s brothers without a shred of honor. Hèra tries time and time again to reason with the man she once called friend, but it’s clear there is no saving him, and she must do what she must.
Miranda Otto
Fans of the originalLord of the Ringstrilogy are in for a treat, asThe War of the Rohirrimfeatures the voice ofMiranda Otto, who is best known for playing the Rohirrim heiress Éowyn.
Like Hèra, Éowyn also yearned to defy societal norms, as the forces of Sauron threatened to obliterate her beloved Rohan and her father,King Theoden (Bernard Hill). Against her father’s wishes, Éowyn disguises herself as a Rohirrim soldier to take part in the Battle of Gondor, where she does the impossible and slays the nefarious Witch King (Lawrence Makoare). SinceThe War of the Rohirrimtakes place several centuries before Éowyn’s birth, she doesn’t physically appear in the story, but she does narrate Hèra’s epic tale.
Laurence Ubong Williams
Fréaláf Hildeson
AnotherThe Chelsea Detectivealum,Laurence Ubong Williamsplays another key character in Tolkien lore.
Tolkien fans likely know Fréaláf Hildeson as the tenth king of Rohan, but how did he become Helm’s successor if both of Helm’s sons died? Well, Fréaláf is still related to the Hammerhand family by blood, being Helm’s nephew and Hèra’s cousin. While he does have a falling out with Helm when he invokes asking Gondor for aid, Fréaláf still proves his loyalty to Rohan by helping defeat Wulf when he is summoned by Hèra. While Hèra decides to leave Rohan to pursue her own path, she relinquishes her claim to the throne to let Fréaláf lead her people to a prosperous future.
Shaun Dolley
Saltburnstar Shaun Dolley plays Freca - a minor but vitally important character inThe War of the Rohirrim.
Wulf’s father and the prior leader of the Dunlendings, Freca’s reputation as a ruthless and unforgiving warlord precedes him. It’s that exact reputation that causes Helm to deny the proposal to marry Hèra and Wulf, which then causes Freca to challenge Helm. When Freca is killed by Helm, a single death leads to a bloody war that affects thousands.
Christopher Lee
Yes, you read that right.Christopher Leedoes indeed reprise his role as Saruman the WhiteinThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. How is this possible if the beloved actor passed away several years ago? The animated film repurposes unused audio from Saruman’s previous appearances, thus making an unexpected and welcome return for the actor and character.
Saruman is one of the most prominent villains of theLord of the Ringstrilogy, but he wasn’t always that way. He was once a noble wizard who protected the realm from evil, before being seduced by Sauron’s darkness and evil. In his brief appearance inThe War of the Rohirrim, we see Saruman be named the steward of Isengaard, which would prove to be a devastating mistake hundreds of years later.
Other Actors and Actresses in ‘Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’
As per tradition forThe Lord of the Ringsfranchise,The War of the Rohirrimboasts an ensemble cast, which even includes two more cameos fromLord of the Ringsalums. The rest of the cast and characters are:
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimdebuts in theaters on Friday, July 14, 2025.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
The untold story behind Helm’s Deep, hundreds of years before the fateful war, telling the life and bloodsoaked times of its founder, Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan.
