A new Lord of the Rings movie is in the works, and it will focus on one of the most important characters in the original trilogy. Andy Serkis is returning to the franchise to direct and star in what is currently called “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.”
The movie, which is being produced by Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, was announced during an earnings call by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. It’s going to arrive in 2026 and be the first of WBD’s next batch of movies set in Middle-earth.
It’s unclear when in the timeline the film will take place, but it’s safe to assume it’ll kick off before the events of Return of the King since Gollum finds out what the bottom of a lava pit looks like in that movie. However, no matter what time period Gollum returns in, Serkis is excited to bring the character to life again.
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“Yesssss, Precious,” Serkis said in a statment. “The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”
Jackson, Walksh, and Philippa also talked about their excitement for the project. “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker — Gollum!” they said. “As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
