Entertainment
Fantasy Flop Finally Finds Success On Max
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Fantasy movies have always faced an upward battle at the box office, with the exception of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which remains the most successful traditional fantasy series in movie history. However, like that other successful fantasy franchise, Harry Potter (which with its 90s setting isn’t the same sort of swords and sorcery as Tolkien’s masterpiece), once the books were all adapted, it was running out of gas. Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim was the franchise’s return to theaters, and though it was a box office disaster, now that it’s on Max, the standalone anime film has finally found an audience.
Before The War Of The Ring
The War of the Rohirrim explores the history of the kings of Rohan, dramatizing the saga of Helm Hammerhand’s daughter, Hera, loosely adapting the story from one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s appendices. As with Rings of Power, the film attempts to bring to life the history of Middle-Earth long before the return of Sauron, but while the series found its footing in Season 2, the anime film collapses under the weight of expectations. Removed from the trappings of Middle-Earth, and the story of Hera rising above society’s expectations to save her people in their darkest hour is classic fantasy catnip, but as part of a storied franchise, it failed to meet expectations.
Narrated by Eowyn herself, Miranda Otto, War of the Rohirrim finds the Kingdom of Rohan under siege by the Dunlendings after their leader, Wulf, is humiliated when he asks for Hera’s hand in marriage. Helm Hammerhand, voiced by Succession’s Brian Cox, attempts to wage war by himself, fighting a losing battle against the vast horde despite his strength and unyielding will. It’s an exciting part of the history of Middle-Earth, and is echoed in The Two Towers, but with a better plan and more backing from Warner Bros., it could have been a hit instead of being sent out to bomb.
When Good Isn’t Good Enough
That’s the true tragedy of War of the Rohirrim: it was created to fulfil a contract and to hold onto the film rights, and not because the studio thought it finally had a great story to tell in the world of Middle-Earth. Centering the film on Rohan was a smart move as the kingdom lends itself to the medium of anime, and though the animation itself isn’t as smooth as that of Demon Slayer, it’s perfectly serviceable and does a good job emulating the look of Jackson’s films. But “good enough” isn’t enough with one of the world’s largest franchises that happened to define the entire fantasy genre.
In theaters, The War of the Rohirrim earned $20 million worldwide, which would be considered great for an anime film, but it also had a budget of $30 million, even before taking into account marketing, which though slim, still cost millions. Removed from the cost of a ticket, it’s a lot easier for anyone curious to give the film a shot, and they have, powering it to debut as Max’s number one movie. The franchise will never hit the heights it did with Jackson’s trilogy, and though the film failed, an anime prequel was a bold move, and if nothing else, it’s better than Rings of Power Season 1.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is streaming on Max.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
