The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim could be the second time a Lord of the Rings dragon appears on-screen. Tolkien was famous for creating numerous fantasy species in his 1937 novel, The Hobbit, and his 1954 novel, The Lord of the Rings. These fictional species influenced myriad fantasy creators. For example, the halflings and Balors in Dungeons & Dragons were originally called hobbits and Balrogs, but their names had to change after a copyright dispute with the Tolkien Estate. The War of the Rohirrim movie could, once again, bring exposure to one of Tolkien’s most iconic creations.

Warner Bros.’ The War of the Rohirrim, releasing on December 13, 2024, will be the first anime Lord of the Rings movie made by Warner Bros. or any other official studio. It will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who also worked on anime legends like Ghost in the Shell. The movie will be based on “The House of Eorl,” a short story in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. This story describes Rohan’s genesis and development, focusing on the Third Age war between the Rohirrim (Rohan’s people) and the neighboring Dunlendings. But a dragon may shake things up.

Of Lord Of The Rings’ Dragons, Only Smaug Has Appeared On-Screen

One More Lord Of The Rings Dragon Could Finally Be Adapted

The first time a Lord of the Rings dragon appeared on-screen was in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, which was based on the eponymous children’s book by high fantasy pioneer J.R.R. Tolkien. Considering the popularity of House of the Dragon, the influence of The Hobbit’s Smaug can’t be underestimated. But Tolkien described many dragons, including the first – Glaurung. And, the greatest – Ancalagon the Black. But of all of Lord of the Rings’ terrifying dragons, only Smaug made it to the screen. The War of the Rohirrim could change that.

War Of The Rohirrim’s Source Material Includes The Tale Of Scatha

Scatha Died Before Smaug In The Third Age

While Glaurung and Ancalagon were slain in the First Age, and Smaug was killed by Bard late in the Third Age, Scatha was around sometime before Smaug in the Third Age. Glaurung and Ancalagon’s misadventures are described in The Silmarillion, while Scatha appears in “The House of Eorl,” giving The War of the Rohirrim a great opportunity. The fantastic Third Age lore documenting Scatha sits just before the story of the Rohirrim’s war with the Dunlendings in “The House of Eorl.” Scatha was dead before the events of the movie but could still feature in it.

Tolkienian Age
Event Marking The Start
Years
Total Length In Solar Years

Before time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Indeterminate

Days before Days
The Ainur entered Eä
1 – 3,500 Valian Years
33,537

Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.)
Yavanna created the Two Trees
Y.T. 1 – 1050
10,061

First Age (F.A.)

Elves awoke in Cuiviénen
Y.T. 1050 – Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 – 590
4,902

Second Age (S.A.)
The War of Wrath ended
S.A. 1 – 3441
3,441

Third Age (T.A.)
The Last Alliance defeated Sauron
T.A. 1 – 3021
3,021

Fourth Age (Fo.A)
Elven-ring bearers left Middle-earth
Fo.A 1 – unknown
Unknown

Scatha was described as one of the “long-worms,” in a unique revelation of dragon lore. It was uncertain how these dragons differed from others, if at all. Regardless, Scatha was slain by Fram, the Rohirrim chieftain, and his teeth were made into a necklace. This legendary story was passed down through generations, “named in the songs of Rohan.” Anime is the perfect format to explore a dragon flashback, while the complex Helm Hammerhand tells a story or sings a song in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.