LOTR: How The Warg Attack scene was COMPLETELY changed!

The Warg Attack scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a fan favorite for its perfect build-up and music, despite it not being in Tolkien's book. Peter Jackson added the scene, originally planned for Edoras, but moved it to the journey to Helm's Deep due to filming challenges. The scene was created last minute with CGI Wargs, posing difficulties for actors who had to perform without physical creatures. Despite this, the CGI held up well, and the scene has become highlight of the film!

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

How on earth did they pull off such convincing cgi in 2002 that somehow cannot be replicated in any other movie since?? Everything now looks cartoonish and fake

[@camakaze1330]

Everything seems to have gone downhill since pirates of the Caribbean 😭

[@OG21020]

I guess the answer is the LOTR artists were talented and inspired. They put in a lot of care, effort and love into the LOTR trilogy while today, only work is done. There's no love and no inspiration.

[@arisaek7764]

​@@OG21020totaly agree

[@user-xx6vy9ri8p]

The CGI eyes and hair usually give it away, that's why wargs look like hienas with small eyes and almost bald. They changed them to wolves in the Hobbit when they had better technology.

[@GRB-tj6uj]

​@@OG21020no they were given proper time and resources to pull off a convincing effect. Unlike today's CGI artists who are put in eternal crunch time in a Marvel affiliated special effects sweatshop. Love has nothing to do with it, it's about (a lack of) exploitation

[@dv4975]

Also the CGI for the Wargs is outstanding even to this day

[@LevCallahan]

When you realize the same people who did the CGI for LotR did the CGI for Avatar, it all makes sense why the animation still holds up.

[@jakab174]

and dont forget the orcs! And probably some rohirs Its crazy how well this looks, very hard to imagine, size there are also the mumakill climb and the Troll climb that are so gamey looking.

[@RatchetandClank145]

So I knew the Wargs were CGI but the thing that blew my mind was the small clip that you showed of Treebeard. I had no idea that they made a Treebeard animatronic, thats so cool!

[@donaldpetersen2382]

It was used for the shots with Pippin and Marry riding on his shoulders.

[@funkydozer]

Contains one of the most memorable and well done scenes of the trilogy - Legolas swinging onto the horse in slow motion. The cgi is invisible, as it should be.

[@muskatDR]

Its interesting that the warg attack were first supposed to happen at Edoras, because in the video game adaptation you fight wargs at a Rohan city

[@mevb]

It was also difficult to transport lights into such a far off place plus the hard winds would have made night shoots difficult hence why only see Edoras during day time (the shot with Aragorn and Legolas in The Return of the King was shot during the pickups in 2003, long after they tore down Edoras and restored the hill back to its previous form, plus Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom wasn't in New Zealand at the same time, so they were shooted seperatley against a bluescreen and the color timing was used to make them look like night), plus the scene was planned to have fire in it, which proved more problematic.

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

That’s a cool fact!

[@mevb]

@@MiddleEarthUpdates Yeah, originally (as you can see in the storyboard) a warg that got its fur on fire, was gonna attack Aragorn and get him dragged, which was how the was gonna be rescued by Brego at the shore.

[@runespar]

Really hoping you take off, this bite-size, narrative style is perfect for drawing in new people to watch LOTR!

[@saladinbob]

I think the lack of planning in this case enhanced the scene because it became true artistry. They had to be very creative in their approach due to the lack of time. I'd also be willing to bet no one involved in Hollywood today could pull this off since creativity has become a lost art.

[@hircineshadow5246]

It will always be a regret for me that the Warg's attack of the first book never made it to the movies ...

[@AliasSchmalias]

Guess I'll be binge watching LotR again..

[@Foebane72]

Tolkien never wrote it, but it would make sense that Saruman would send wargs and their riders to attack the Rohirrim and the people of Edoras at their most vulnerable on the way to Helm's Deep, but luckily the CGI still holds up, and is a good scene.

[@Mike.Hunt.]

Back when they cared and actually put in some effort

[@ericstoverink6579]

There technically was a warg attack in Rohan in the book. It just didn't happen to the main characters. There were reports of wargs attacking the men fleeing from the Fords of Isen. That's when they decided to change course and head for Helm's Deep.

[@dv4975]

Your thumbnails are always amazing!

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

Oh thank you!

[@reimaginethesounds6694]

Well, in fact there's an attack of wargs on The Fellowship of the Ring (book version) after they are defeated by Caradhras and decided to go south for the path of Minas Moria. And it's indeed at night. So there's a chance that they moved it to this movie (and maybe also on The Hobbit: AUJ).

[@ArtemianCZ]

But those wargs in fellowship are without their riders, aren´t they? I thought about that attack more like a skirmish with wolves that are afraid of fire (magical or not)

[@akaMaddy]

* Mines of Moria 😅😉

[@reimaginethesounds6694]

@@ArtemianCZ that's right! But seeing that there are plenty of small changes here and there, it still seems plausible that the inspiration is that section of the Fellowship but putting Saruman as the main antagonist sending the wargs (mounted by orcs). There's also the scene where Faramir shoots the fellbeast (the mount of the Nazgul) on Osgiliath that is very similar to the section where Legolas shoots one on the side of the Anduin.

[@reimaginethesounds6694]

@@akaMaddy It seems i mixed languages, La Comarca, Bolsón Cerrado, las Minas de Moria...

[@goofball1_134]

Yeah honestly i liked peters version better. In the book the warg attack is at a kind of random time, but here it is a really cool set up of trying to defend the refugees from Edoras on the way to helms deep.

[@DJJ81]

It’s so crazy they built that whole building and set for edoras. Is any of that stuff still there?

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

Unfortunately not. New Zealand has strict laws about preserving nature in certain areas, so they had to restore the location as closely as possible to its original state. The only trace of their presence and filming is the road leading to the location and a bridge over the nearby river.

[@MatiasHamreSveen]

The wargs where the only creatures I think they failed to portray properly in LOTR. They should have been large wolves, not hyenas. That's probably the ONLY thing the Hobbit-movies did better. All though these wargs look more realistic.

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

That’s a good point, the design in the Hobbit is better, but they don’t look as real.

[@thomasalvarez6456]

The wargs for lotr were designed different for a reason. These are more like actual dogs or hunting dogs. Their snouts are shorter and run short distances better. They seem a bit more muscler like a pit bull or bull dog. Breed for fighting, even their skull shape is similar. The wargs of the hobbit are more book accurate, especially BOTFA. But they do seem more weasel/thin. Better for digging and slimmer bodies but they hunt in the packs like they do in the wild. They’re also smarter, not book smart as the book wargs even had a king. The Isengard wargs are a different breed. Better than Rings of power warg. Far too cartoonish. The 1977 wargs are my personal favourite, design wise.

[@vitobergeman]

I most certainly agree!

[@TheLlywelyn]

Totally agree. It broke the spell for me and instead of being in the moment I thought instead about the people behind the movie having such poor taste and Peter Jackson agreeing.

[@criert135]

Their design in the LOTR films was a bit improvement to be honest

[@manudeman1841]

The lack of "puppets" does bother me, half the time you can tell they're just swinging at nothing and a CGI enemy then just runs right into their attack.

[@ep5019]

They're was a warg attack in lotr it took place in the fellowship.

[@sebastiannielsen9740]

I recognize that voice, you're battlefront updates! Makes sense that this channel is therefore called middle earth updates 😅

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

Hello there ;)

[@sebastiannielsen9740]

@@MiddleEarthUpdates General Kenobi! You are a bold one

[@RobotShield]

Yeah I didn’t like the warg scene or that Aragorn got swept away. Seemed unnecessary. Also what is that mount of the horse from Legolas 🤪 Kudos to all the vfx artist and actors for last minute unplanned shenanigans

[@TheLlywelyn]

Agree. Tolkien wrote the death of Gandalf brilliantly and then Jackson repeated exact same plot device with Aragorn. It was just irritating, now we all wait for the apparently emotional reunion.

[@criert135]

@@TheLlywelynIt worked brilliantly and gave Aragorn to see the Uruk army and have that dramatic confrontation with Theoden over their chances once he returns. Also helps establish Eowyn’s feelings for Aragorn and that dynamic. All in all a solid change by Jackson.

[@annakonda6727]

Oh I disagree; this was my least favourite part of all the 3 films. The wargs were not convincing, the drama of Aragorn falling off the cliff was just drawing out (unnecessary) drama, I felt. Otherwise the Trilogy was amazing- one of the few films that stood up to, and in places surpassed, the book they were based on.

[@watercroc]

battlefront updates

[@MiddleEarthUpdates]

Hello there

[@SkepticalJesusOfficial]

Tbh the scene does feel like it was thrown together

[@Horvath_Botond]

Please not stole other videos!

[@ecavalcantes]

The CGI didn't held up well.

[@zbarneyz]

WAIT A MOMENT!? The wargs where CGI? Why didnt they use real wargs? Best trilogy ever made my ass

[@Mike-hl3gm]

They mean it as there was nothing there for the actors to work with, like some movies they woulda had horses then cgi the wargs into the horses spot dumb ass Anyone who doesnt think lotr is the best trilogy ever made is obviously a fuckin starwars nerd lol now that series was fuckin trash

[@thomasroserasmussen]

I didn't like this scene at all. It always bothered me. You talk about great CGI, I always thought it was the worst in the three movies. And notice how the soundeffects are awful. It doesn't line up, and they did like horse gallop noises for the soft paws of the vargs. I always felt like it was rushed and crammed in there, atleast now I know I was right about that.

[@caretaker8960]

Have you read the books? A Warg attack takes place in the Chapter , The Ring Goes South. Just another example of PJ's ignorance of the material.

[@ericstoverink6579]

He's clearly talking about wargs attacking Theoden's company in the Two Towers. The attack on the Fellowship is in the Fellowship of the Ring and is a completely separate incident.

[@caretaker8960]

It's not clear at all , no reason why the actual Warg attack couldn't have been included, rather than making scenes up.

[@wildbill9490]

They should’ve just stuck closer to the books

[@leon.skennedy9931]

Awful scene they should never have bothered! Just one of many gripes with TTT. How people say TTT is the best of the trilogy is beyond me!