Christopher Lee’s Return as Saruman in THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM Uses a Line Originally Said to Galadriel, Reveals Philippa Boyens

As a die-hard fan who has followed the Middle Earth saga since its inception, I can confidently say that hearing Christopher Lee’s voice once more as Saruman in “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is nothing short of magical. It’s like receiving a letter from an old friend, reminding us of the golden days when we first embarked on this epic journey together.

Regrettably, Christopher Lee, who played Saruman in The Lord of the Rings series, passed away in 2015 before The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim was produced. However, in the forthcoming Lord of the Rings movie, audiences will be delighted to see Christopher Lee reprise his role as Saruman. Contrary to speculation that AI would be used, the production team for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim delved into archived ADR recordings from previous Lord of the Rings movies featuring Christopher Lee’s voice, including The Hobbit trilogy. With the support of his family, the beloved Tolkien enthusiast’s voice will resound once more in a Lord of the Rings film. At TopMob, we had the privilege of speaking with Philippa Boyens, a long-term figure in the Lord of the Rings cinematic universe and producer on The War of the Rohirrim, about Christopher Lee’s return as Saruman in the movie.

Philippa Boyens revealed that the Saruman voice heard in “The War of the Rohirrim” is an older recording of Christopher Lee’s. Moreover, she disclosed that the line spoken by Christopher Lee was originally a variation of a line Saruman addressed to Galadriel in “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” which coincidentally falls on the same date ten years ago. This particular line underwent minor modifications for “The War of the Rohirrim.” However, Boyens and her team sought to preserve as much of Christopher Lee’s powerful performance from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, rather than piecing together fragments of his words. As a result, they could retain some of his memorable choices and inflections in their rendition.

Boyens passionately shared insights into how they incorporated Christopher Lee’s original recordings for his role in The War of the Rohirrim. She explained, ‘We drew from his ADR sessions, allowing us to listen to Chris’s [Christopher Lee’s] own voice.’ She gave a warm smile and continued, ‘We aimed to keep the continuity intact; we didn’t want to splice in words haphazardly. Instead, we scoured through all the films where he appeared, eventually finding the line from Saruman to Galadriel: “Are you in need of assistance, my lady?” This became our foundation for the new line reading.’

In the movie “The War of the Rohirrim,” Saruman’s dialogue slightly changes from what we heard before in “The Lord of the Rings.” Instead of addressing a lady as in previous instances, Christopher Lee’s character is now speaking to a lord. Tolkien enthusiasts may recognize who this lord could be without any spoilers here. Peter Jackson’s team also shared that the full line from Saruman in “The War of the Rohirrim” will be, “If you should ever need assistance, my lord.” This slight alteration makes for an exciting anticipation for Christopher Lee’s return to the Lord of the Rings universe. The mere thought sends shivers down our spines.

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It’s heartwarming in this era of AI and digital representations, to find “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” giving such thoughtful tribute to a cherished franchise figure. When reverence and admiration are at the forefront, fans can savor one final touching moment with those who have departed. We eagerly anticipate hearing Christopher Lee as Saruman once more, as his legendary voice echoes in “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” again.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim releases in theaters on December 13.

2024-12-11 20:02

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