Bernard Hill Tribute from the Rohirrim War Explained

“The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim” hit theaters this weekend, and its arrival heralded a return to the magic of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth. Not only is the film a direct prequel to “The Two Towers” (it tells the backstory of the Helm’s Deep fortress that plays a central role in that film), but it’s also a nostalgia fest full of cameos, callbacks of calls and little hidden details for die-hard Tolkien fans to spot.

One of the less hidden details is a tribute to the late, great Bernard Hill. Hill passed away earlier this year at the age of 79. While he is known for several memorable performances, including Captain Edward J. Smith in “Titanic,” his most recognizable role was as the elderly King Théoden, who breaks free from Saruman’s contagious influence, overthrows the wizard armies and rides to a glorious death on the fields of Pelennor during the War of the Ring.

It’s no surprise that director Kenji Kamiyama and the creative team behind “The Rohirrim War” managed to include the In Memoriam text in the film, especially since it came out just months after Hill’s death. The specific line, which appears in the film’s credit sequence, reads:

In memory of our beloved king of Rohan

Bernard Hill

1944-2024

It’s a beautiful nod to a great actor and a legendary king.

Bernard Hill may have received a shout-out in the closing credits of “The Rohirrim War,” but the film itself feels like a giant nod to the “Lord of the Rings” character he played on screen. While King Théoden may not receive a direct mention in the film, there is the obvious conclusion that he and Helm are kings of the same people.

Éowyn (Miranda Otto) is another point of connection, as Théoden’s niece and the heroine of “The Return of the King” also crosses media to narrate the anime prequel. Hèra, Helm’s daughter, is also more than an echo of the shieldmaiden Éowyn’s personality. It also feels like a clear representation of the same ideals that Théoden strives to live up to during “The Lord of the Rings.” While “The War of the Rohirrim” stands on its own and tells its own story set hundreds of years before Théoden’s own epic tale, the connections are clear and accentuate the honorific moment for the late Hill.

Along with the direct mention in In Memoriam for Bernard Hill, another Middle-earth legend received a nod in “The War of the Rohirrim.” Christopher Lee is famous for his incredible portrayal of Saruman in “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies. He was especially invested in Tolkien’s world, having met the author in person, read “The Lord of the Rings” annually and even watched Jackson’s adaptation on the night of his death.

As for an honorary moment in “The War of the Rohirrim,” this comes through a brief cameo. Saruman appears in the film for a moment, and in addition to being a clear anime representation of Lee’s version of the character, Lee himself voices the White Wizard, even though the British actor died in 2015. How’s that? possible? ? No, not the AI. Producer Philippa Boyens explained that the film’s creatives found an extra line that Lee recorded that was never used for the “Hobbit” films and were able to recycle it in the anime. The result is a brief, nostalgic encore of Lee in his most famous role.

Along with these honorific gestures, “The War of the Rohirrim” is accompanied by other “Lord of the Rings” cameos, consisting mainly of Miranda Otto’s reprisal as Éowyn and a surprise performance by Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd (who They play Merry Brandybuck. and Pippin Took in Jackson’s adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings”). The dynamic duo, whose “Lord of the Rings” characters are not alive when the film takes place, voice the characters Shank and Wrot. From In Memoriam moments to fun cameos, this movie is a great addition to the Middle-earth canon and, building on the potentially star-studded “Hunt for Gollum” movie coming out in a couple of years, Warner Bros, Jackson and company are just getting started.

“The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim” is now showing in theaters.