Lord of the Rings anime movie star Brian Cox feels that he has "somehow been avoiding" Tolkien until now, despite being "up for" a role in the live-action films

EntertainmentMoviesFantasy MoviesLord of the Rings MoviesThe Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The RohirrimLord of the Rings anime movie star Brian Cox feels that he has “somehow been avoiding” Tolkien until now, despite being “up for” a role in the live-action filmsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. EntertainmentMoviesFantasy MoviesLord of the Rings MoviesThe Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The RohirrimLord of the Rings anime movie star Brian Cox feels that he has “somehow been avoiding” Tolkien until now, despite being “up for” a role in the live-action filmsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: HBO) Ahead of the release ofThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, star Brian Cox hadn’t dived into author J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. The Succession actor lends his voice to Helm Hammerhead, a former King of Rohan in the anime prequel that is set 183 years prior to the events of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. Drawn from the appendices of Tolkien’s books, the film sees Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) take vengeance on the line of Rohan after the princess Héra refuses his hand in marriage, with King Helm then killing his father in one swift punch. In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Cox admitted that he had been somewhat “avoiding” Tolkien even though he was once “up for” a role in the live-action trilogy back in the early 2000s. “Somehow I’ve avoided or been avoiding it,” Cox said about The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s extensive work. “I don’t know, I think every other British actor I know is in Lord of the Rings, but that’s nothing unusual for me. I think it happened in one other thing I did as well. I think it’s my background, probably.” “I think there was one role that I was up for,” he reminiscences about the original trilogy, “but I can’t remember what it was.” (Image credit: Warner Bros) After finishing work on this movie, Cox has “of course” read all the books and The Hobbit, as well as dived into Jackson’s films. Yet, it was appealing to him to come into the project with fresh eyes, rather than know the weight of Helm’s legacy in Middle-earth from the beginning. Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox “Sometimes it helps just not to know the legacy,” he says. “So, you come out with a fresh vision. You come at it from your point of view rather than some perceived point of view and I think there’s an advantage in that.” Now that he’s familiar with Tolkien, Cox would be keen to return to The Lord of the Rings either for another animated or live-action project. “Yeah, if the part is good,” he says about the possibility of a live action return adding “and if I’m fit enough!” “[Ian] McKellen is an old pal of mine. He found it great. He loved it. He’s a huge, huge fan of those films [The Lord of the Rings], but he did find it physically demanding.” The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim arrives in theaters worldwide on December 13. For more, check out ourThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review,as well ashow to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and shows in order. 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the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”