Andy Serkis, known for playing Gollum, is reprising his role as the iconic monster from the Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” franchise. According to Variety, he will also be directing the new movie in which he is starring.
Per Variety, Peter Jackson, director of the original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the prequel “Hobbit” trilogy, is a producer of the film, and “will be involved every step of the way,” as stated by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
According to Variety in 2023, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, Warner Bros. studio leaders, brokered a deal for “multiple” movies set within the world of Middle Earth. In these films, they seek to explore new, untold stories.
“Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” the working title, is the latest of these movies to be announced. It is slated for a release sometime in 2026.
What we know about ‘The Hunt for Gollum’
The movie is still in the early stages of development, so not many details are known.
Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who also worked with Jackson on the previous installments within the franchise, are working on the script for “The Hunt for Gollum.”
A fan-made film under the same name “The Hunt for Gollum” exists on YouTube, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, explores the same story that the Warner Bros. Gollum movie is likely to depict, although that is not confirmed.
The 39-minute film expands a piece of lore within “Lord of the Rings” that is only mentioned in the Peter Jackson films. It is about when Gandalf tasked Aragorn with hunting down Gollum to uncover more information about Frodo’s mysterious ring.
Other ‘Lord of the Rings’ projects in the works
As previously reported by the Deseret News, Amazon Studios has confirmed Season 2 of the “Rings of Power” television series, which takes place during the second age of Middle Earth, thousands of years before the events of “Lord of the Rings.”
The series is Amazon’s most ambitious television project, but received mixed reviews.
There is no confirmed release date for the second season.
An animated film called “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is scheduled for release on Dec. 13. According to Collider, it was originally going to be released April 12, but experienced delays related to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes.
This prequel movie takes place 183 years before “Lord of the Rings,” and is about Helm Hammerhand, the king of Rohan. Collider explains that the story details the history of Helms Deep and the conflicts between the Rohirrim and Dunlendings, a tribe of wild men.
Brian Cox from the television series “Succession” will voice King Helm Hammerhand, with Luke Pasqualino from the Netflix adaptation of “Shadow and Bone” voicing the antagonist Wulf.
A trailer for the film has yet to be released.