Andy Serkis Confirms Major Filming Update for New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie

Andy Serkis has shared some exciting news about the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. This movie will take place between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on Gollum’s journey before he meets Frodo.

Serkis will return to play Gollum, his iconic role, for the first time since 2012’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

In an interview with Collider, Serkis revealed that the film is still in early production, with shooting planned for early to mid-2026.

He called the project a “sizable movie” and expressed his enthusiasm for it. Serkis said he’s looking forward to working again in New Zealand with his longtime collaborators. He also hopes the movie will be ready by December 2027.

“I’m incredibly excited to go back and work with my friends and family in New Zealand and actually do something which is, I think, going to be surprising, and yet very much part of the lore and the feel of the trilogy,” Serkis explained. “The sensibility of it will feel, I think, close to that, and yet we’re investigating in greater depth the character formerly known as Smeagol, but mostly known as Gollum.”

Produced by Warner Bros. under New Line Cinema, The Hunt for Gollum will be directed by Serkis himself. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens are involved as producers. The movie’s release was initially planned for 2026 but has since been pushed to December 17, 2027, according to Serkis and recent reports.

The story focuses on Gollum’s perspective during the time Aragorn, Gandalf, and Sauron are searching for him. The cast is expected to include many returning stars from the original Lord of the Rings films, such as Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Sean Bean as Boromir.

There are rumors that John Rhys-Davies might return as Gimli. Other actors like Scarlett Johansson, Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, and Cate Blanchett are also expected to appear.

The idea for this movie came up after The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Warner Bros. wanted to bring new life to the Middle-earth story by focusing on Gollum. Serkis was invited to direct in late 2023, with Peter Jackson coming back as a producer. Philippa Boyens is currently working on the script, and the film is one of two new Lord of the Rings projects planned, according to sources.

Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf, mentioned in mid-2024 that he had heard Gandalf would appear in the film, but he wasn’t sure if he would return. By September 2024, he confirmed he had been asked to reprise the role not just for The Hunt for Gollum, but also for other upcoming Middle-earth movies. Serkis hinted in the same month that familiar characters would appear, but he didn’t reveal who.

Orlando Bloom has also been in talks with Serkis about returning as Legolas. They even discussed using AI technology to make his character look younger. Philippa Boyens said she, Serkis, and Jackson had approached Viggo Mortensen about coming back as Aragorn, but his involvement hasn’t been officially confirmed as of early 2025.

This new Lord of the Rings film promises to dive deeper into Gollum’s story and offer fans a fresh yet familiar look at Middle-earth. With much of the original cast potentially returning and Serkis at the helm, expectations are high for this next chapter in the beloved saga.

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