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
Everything we know about Ted Lasso Season 4
Round up the Diamond Dogs, because Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is coming back to Richmond.
Apple TV‘s Emmy–winning sports comedy Ted Lasso returns for Season 4 this summer, three years after a Season 3 finale that the show treated like a series end. Now, though, Ted and the Greyhounds have some new adventures up their sleeves, ones sure to feature tons of folksy sayings, messages about mental health, and delicious shortbread.
From plot to cast to release date, here’s everything we know about Ted Lasso Season 4.
What’s Ted Lasso Season 4 about?
According to the official logline from Apple TV, “In Season 4, Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.”
Ted Lasso originally teased the idea of a Richmond women’s football team back in the Season 3 finale, when Keeley (Juno Temple) floated it to Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham). Back then, it seemed like perfect spin-off material, given that Ted Lasso was presumably ending. However, now it’s part of the main show in its own right.
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Who is in Ted Lasso Season 4?
Jeremy Swift, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, and Jason Sudeikis in “Ted Lasso.”
Credit: Apple TV
In addition to Sudeikis, tons of familiar faces are returning for Ted Lasso Season 4. Waddingham and Temple reprise their roles as Rebecca and Keeley, and Emmy winner Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift are all back as Roy Kent, Coach Beard, and Leslie Higgins, respectively.
Ted Lasso Season 4 also brings new faces into the fold, likely playing some of the team members and personnel of the women’s football team. These new additions include Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, and Grant Feely.
Does Ted Lasso Season 4 have a trailer?
Yes! On Apr. 28, Apple TV released a teaser offering a look at Ted’s return to Richmond, as well as the Richmond women’s team in action.
When is Ted Lasso Season 4 coming out?
Ted Lasso Season 4 premieres Aug. 5 on Apple TV, just in time for some late summer viewing.
How to watch: Ted Lasso Season 4 premieres Aug. 5 2026 on Apple TV.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
How to watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich online for free
TL;DR: Live stream PSG vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free on Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Champions League semi finals are finally here. Only four teams remain in contention for the top prize, but it feels like PSG vs. Bayern Munich might be the strongest side of the draw. It’s the defending champions against the team that just dumped Real Madrid out of the competition — it’s going to be a fascinating battle between two giants.
Expect big performances from the likes of Harry Kane and Michael Olise as Bayern Munich look to steal an advantage at the Parc des Princes.
If you want to watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is PSG vs. Bayern Munich?
PSG vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on April 28. This fixture takes place at the Parc des Princes.
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How to watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich for free
PSG vs. Bayern Munich is available to live stream for free on Prime Video (30-day free trial).
If this free stream is not available in your location, you can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock Prime Video to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream PSG vs. Bayern Munich for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
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Visit Prime Video
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Watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich without committing with your cash. This isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Prime Video?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
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