War of the Rohirrim - Trolls, Orcs and Beasts

For director Kenji Kamiyama’s 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim', our artists imagined new creatures for Tolkien’s world.
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We designed snow trolls for the icy heights - hulking, ogre-like brutes with shaggy fur, curling horns, and unruly beards, later adapted into animation. Earlier concepts explored leaner, hide-clad variants with sharp teeth and heavy clubs.
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We also proposed several concepts for a Watcher-like creature, appearing centuries before 'The Fellowship of the Ring' - from classic tentacled forms to a more fantastical design with three-pronged limbs, a gaping maw, and even a tree atop its kraken-like head.
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Artists: Gus Hunter
Art Directors: Adam Middleton and Vaughan Flanagan