Entertainment
How A Fantasy Flop Finally Found Success On HBO 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 HBO 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 fulfill 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
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, walk away with an extra $200 — how to claim this free offer
TL;DR: Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB, unlocked) for $1,199.99 at Amazon and a free $200 gift card bundled in — no trade-in required.
Samsung didn’t ease into its Unpacked event — phones, watches, and smartglasses were all unveiled in one go, which means there’s a lot to sort through if you’re trying to find the one deal that’s actually worth your money.
And here’s one worth grabbing: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a free $200 gift card — no trade-in, no discount code, just the phone at $1,199.99 with a $200 gift card to use later.
The whole point of a flip phone is the cover screen, and Samsung’s built around that here — FlexWindow lets you handle a range of AI tasks without opening the phone, so quick checks don’t require unfolding it. When you’re shooting photos, you can go hands-free for creative angles, or hold it steady and rely on Super Steady Video to keep the footage smooth.
The Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip powering the Fold8, which means gaming and multitasking should hold up even on this smaller form factor.
Battery life is built to last through a full day, and when it runs low, Super Fast Charging gets you back up quickly. If you’re switching from an iPhone, Samsung’s made that transfer easier, too — your photos, contacts, alarms, and passwords come with you, and your messages stay encrypted the whole way.
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The gift card isn’t an instant perk, though — Samsung sends an email once it’s ready to claim, and that only happens after the phone ships. The offer ends Aug. 6, so the earlier you pre-order, the safer you are before that window shuts.
Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 before Aug. 6, and the $200 gift card is on its way to you.
Topics
Samsung
Samsung Unpacked
Entertainment
Owalas Back-to-School Sale is live — 20% off bottles, bags, accessories, and more
SAVE 20%: From Aug. 2-8, Owala’s Back-to-School Sale takes 20% off sitewide, including bottles, bags, and accessories.
20% off bottles, bags, and accessories until Aug. 8
Owala’s Back-to-School Sale isn’t just about the bottles you already own — the whole lineup is included, so it’s worth looking beyond the FreeSip.
The sale covers everything from hydration essentials like water bottles and tumblers to insulated bags, totes, and crossbodies, plus accessories like lids, straws, and other add-ons. The original FreeSip is still the bestseller for a reason, and the FreeSip Sway is a solid pick if you want something more cupholder-friendly for the car. If coffee’s more your thing, the SmoothSip Slider is built specifically for hot drinks on the go.
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And if you need something bigger than a bottle, the Sun-Day Tote is a collapsible bag that packs flat yet holds a lot, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag during the actual back-to-school rush. They’ve also got a few small essentials — a Bottle Boot, cleaning accessories, stickers, and matching pet bowls.
With 20% off sitewide, this is a good time to stock up across categories rather than just grabbing one bottle — especially if you’ve got a household that goes through water bottles, lunch bags, or travel mugs regularly.
Shop Owala’s Back-to-School Sale until Aug. 8 — stock is bound to run out.
Entertainment
Final days to lock in your favorite Microsoft Office apps for life for just $33
TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $32.97 through Aug. 9 and enjoy Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, and Teams with a one-time purchase.
$32.97
$219.99
Save $187.02
This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Through Aug. 9, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.
We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.
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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.
No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.
Mashable Deals
Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) until Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, walk away with an extra $200 — how to claim this free offer
Walk-filled third inning helps Pirates beat Reds, snap 4-game skid
