Warner Bros. has made the decision to release Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim on digital platforms after just two weeks in theaters. The animated film, which premiered on December 13, is set to be available digitally starting December 27, following a lackluster performance at the box office.
The film, which had a reported budget of $30 million, struggled to make an impact, opening with only $4.5 million and suffering a steep decline of more than 72% in its second weekend, grossing just $1.27 million. This marks a significant disappointment, especially for a franchise with such a rich legacy.
Critically, the film has not fared much better. It holds a 47% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though it has an 83% fan rating. For comparison, the Peter Jackson-directed Lord of the Rings trilogy typically sees ratings in the high nineties. The film also received a “B” grade from CinemaScore, further reflecting its underwhelming reception.
The reasons behind the film’s swift digital release are multifaceted. Industry insiders suggest that Warner Bros. needed to release a new Lord of the Rings movie to maintain its rights to the franchise, which necessitates new content at least once every decade. The War of the Rohirrim was developed by a previous executive team at Warner Bros., prior to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, and the film’s story direction seemed to resonate less with modern audiences.
Looking ahead, the franchise’s future includes the return of Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis, who are set to collaborate on two new live-action films. The first project, currently under the working title Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, is expected to build on the original cinematic legacy. Additionally, Prime Video’s Rings of Power Season 2 is slated for release in August, offering further expansion to the Lord of the Rings universe.
As Warner Bros. shifts its focus to these upcoming projects, the swift digital release of The War of the Rohirrim serves as a reminder of the challenges the franchise faces in a changing entertainment landscape.
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