J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic epic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings is returning in an all-new slate of spinoff movies, the first of which being the newly-announced The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Beginning with the publication of The Hobbit in 1937, English author J.R.R. Tolkien established the fictional realm of Middle-earth and populated it with some of the most beloved fantasy characters and adventures in literary history. Expanding across his trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, throughout the 1950s, Tolkien is very much responsible for the way fantasy stories are told.

Naturally, the entire Middle-earth saga made for gripping entertainment, and it didn’t take long for the series to be adapted into various animated films, live-action films, games, and TV shows. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy redefined the blockbuster in the early 2000s when it raked in high profits at the box office and won a slew of Oscars. Though Jackson’s Hobbit series faltered, interest has remained high in Middle-earth content across the years and a brand-new spinoff movie is in the work entitled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Latest News

The Two-Movie Plan Is Clarified

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

With much of the upcoming movie still a mystery, the latest news clarifies misinformation about The Hunt for Gollum. In September 2024, it was announced that Ian McKellen would reprise his role as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movie, and the celebrated actor let slip that The Hunt for Gollum would be split into two movies. Now, screenwriter Philippa Boyens has revealed that The Hunt for Gollum will not be a two-parter, and that a second LOTR movie is in the works. “I can tell you definitively it isn’t two films!” said Boyens, “That was a genuine misunderstanding.”

Read Boyens’ full comments here:

I can tell you definitively it isn’t two films! That was a genuine misunderstanding that happened because we’ve begun to work, conceptually, on two different live-action films. The first being The Hunt For Gollum, the second one still to be confirmed. [The Hunt for Gollum is] quite an intense story, which falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines Of Moria. It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature. [For the follow-up feature,] we’re playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf. So Gandalf would potentially return for two live-action films. We have an absolute banger of a second film that would just be incredible as an anime. But let’s see if there’s an appetite for it.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Is Confirmed

A New Lord Of The Rings Movie Series Is Planned

the likelihood of Serkis not reprising his role as the twisted former Hobbit seems quite low.

Not long after it was revealed that plans were in place to expand the franchise, it was announced that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum was in development. The reveal of the planned off-shoot of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy comes two decades after the release of Return of the King in 2003, and will see Andy Serkis take on a new role as the film’s director. Serkis is perhaps most famous for playing Gollum in the original trilogy but his career has blossomed beyond motion-capture roles.

Andy Serkis has already directed several films including 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage .

The news of the movie was revealed by Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav in an earning call in early May 2024, and it comes hot on the heels of other major shifts in the epic Middle-Earth franchise. The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a 2026 release, though a more concrete date is still elusive. Few details are known about the movie at this time, and it isn’t clear if Serkis will be playing Gollum again or merely directing. However, considering it was his starmaking role, the likelihood of Serkis not reprising his role as the twisted former Hobbit seems quite low.

The Lord of the Rings cinematic franchise consists of:

Movie
Release Year
Note

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
2012
Takes place 60 years before The Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2013
Picks up immediately after An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
2014
Picks up immediately after The Desolation of Smaug

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001
Takes place 60 years after the events of The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002
Picks up immediately after The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003
Picks up immediately after The Two Towers

The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Cast

Is Andy Serkis Returning As Gollum?

Because not much is known about the planned Lord of the Rings film, the cast of The Hunt for Gollum has not been announced yet. However, the return of Andy Serkis as the director seems to suggest that he will reprise his role as Gollum and presumably his alter-ego Sméagol as well. No other characters have been revealed either, and it is difficult to pin down exactly who could reprise their roles from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. Gandalf and Aragorn seem like logical returns considering the movie’s title, but it isn’t certain if Sir Ian McKellen or Viggo Mortensen would return.

Sir Ian McKellan offered a cheeky response to reprising the Gandalf role, joking that he would play the part again “If I’m alive.” However, McKellan mentioned had been approached in September 2024. The likelihood of Gandalf’s return is uncertain, and even with CGI de-aging effects, it might be too late for the celebrated actor to return. Similarly, Viggo Mortensen is open to playing Aragorn again, but explained that it would have to make sense story wise.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Story

Various Characters Hunt The One Ring

Since Gollum died at the end of Return of the King , the movie will undoubtedly be a prequel that follows the eponymous character at another point in his life.

Even if Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav didn’t reveal any story details when he announced the film, the title of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum offers a big story tease. Since Gollum died at the end of Return of the King, the movie will undoubtedly be a prequel that follows the eponymous character at another point in his life. When exactly the new Gollum movie takes place in the timeline is unknown, but there is one very likely place.

Though it was glossed over in the film trilogy, Aragorn and Gandalf spend a long time hunting for Gollum in order to make sure he doesn’t tip off Sauron about Frodo’s mission in The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.