Andy Serkis Opens Up About Recasting Aragorn In ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’
Andy Serkis is returning to Middle-earth once again with The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, but this time he is taking on more than one role. Along with playing Gollum again, Serkis is also directing the movie, making him the first person besides Peter Jackson to direct a live-action Lord of the Rings film.
In an interview with Mashable reporter Belen Edwards, Serkis shared new details about the upcoming movie before production begins in New Zealand. He explained that the story fits into the same world fans already know while still bringing something new.
He said, “The joy of [The Hunt for Gollum] is that it’s entirely its own story, but it fits perfectly into the lore, the tone, the feel of the Middle-earth films that were created by Peter Jackson 25 years ago.”
According to Serkis, the story takes place between The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The movie follows Gandalf and Aragorn as they search for Gollum before the War of the Ring begins.
One major change in the film is the recasting of Aragorn. Jamie Dornan is stepping into the role instead of Viggo Mortensen, who played the character in the original trilogy. Serkis explained that this version of Aragorn is younger and at a different point in his life.
He said, “We’re calling him Strider in our movie. He is at a different point in his journey, so he is slightly different to the Aragorn that we see later on.” Serkis also added, “It’s a version of himself that’s been out in the wilderness as a Dúnedain Ranger. I’ll leave it at that for the moment, but Jamie is perfect for this part of the journey of the character.”
The film will also bring back several actors from earlier Middle-earth movies. Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, and Lee Pace are all returning. At the same time, new actors are joining the franchise, including Kate Winslet and Leo Woodall.
Serkis also responded to concerns that Warner Bros. may be making too many Lord of the Rings projects. The studio recently released The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and is continuing to expand the franchise with more titles in development.
Still, Serkis believes The Hunt for Gollum will stand on its own. He said, “It’s not just a nostalgia film.” He continued, “[The Hunt for Gollum] adheres to that world, but it certainly has a freshness and a newness in terms of the actual story.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently scheduled to release in 2027.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
