The upcoming animated film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, set 200 years before the original trilogy, introduces new characters and features the return of the Watcher in the Water, a creature last seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. The film will be narrated by Éowyn, played by Miranda Otto, and centers on the internal politics of Rohan during a power struggle involving King Helm Hammerhand and his rebellious daughter, Hera. Concurrently, the second season of Amazon’s The Rings of Power is set to premiere on August 29, following a successful first season that attracted over 100 million viewers despite mixed reviews. Notably, Joseph Mawle, who portrayed the villain Adar in the first season, will be replaced by Sam Hazeldine, though the reasons for this recasting remain undisclosed. The production for season two has significantly upped its ambition, with a reported budget of $715 million and a focus on rich visual storytelling and expansive sets. Both projects aim to expand Tolkien's universe while facing scrutiny from fans regarding the direction and character development of the stories.