Summary

  • Warner Bros.' new Lord of the Rings film is titled The Hunt for Gollum, and it could release in 2026.
  • Gollum actor Andy Serkis will direct the film, with Peter Jackson producing.
  • The Hunt for Gollum could take place at some point during Gollum's possession of the Ring or as Gandalf and Aragorn seek the creature after Frodo's quest begins.

The new Tolkien's world of Middle-earth to life in 2001, chronicling the story of Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he attempts to destroy the One Ring. After a series of other projects in the franchise, Warner Bros. is now gearing up to return to the world of Middle-earth with a new feature film, which Jackson will produce.

At a recent Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call, CEO David Zaslav shares new details about the Lord of the Rings movie, revealing that the working title for the new film is The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Gollum actor Andy Serkis will be directing the project and reprising his iconic role. The movie will arrive in 2026.

Andy-Serkis-as-Gollum--Smeagol-from-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-The-Return-of-the-King
Related
What Kind Of Creature Was Gollum? Sméagol's Lord Of The Rings Origin Explained

The Lord of the Rings movies revealed that Gollum was "something like a Hobbit," but the books explain the creature's full origin story and race.

What The New Lord Of The Rings Movie's Title Reveals About The Story

The Hunt For Gollum Teases When The Tale Takes Place

Gollum's introduction in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Gollum meets a fiery end at the climax of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, so the title suggests that audiences are in for a prequel story. Unlike Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which takes place during the more prosperous Second Age of Middle-earth as Sauron rises to power, The Hunt for Gollum will seemingly take place during the Third Age after the Dark Lord's fall.

The Rings of Power season 2 is expected to release on Prime Video at some point in 2024.

As is revealed in The Fellowship of the Ring's prologue sequence, the Second Age ends with Sauron defeated in battle and the Ring falling into the hands of Isildur. After the corrupted Gondorian ruler is killed, the Ring is lost for many thousands of years. Sméagol (Serkis) then finds the Ring and possesses it for several hundred years, which is how he becomes Gollum. It's possible that the new film will take place during this era.

The Hunt for Gollum, however, could also take place after Frodo embarks on his quest to destroy the One Ring. As Tolkien's appendices reveal, Gandalf and Aragorn hunt Gollum for years after Frodo leaves the Shire out of fear the creature will reveal important information about the Hobbit to Sauron. This raises questions about whether any cast from Jackson's trilogy will be reprising their roles. With the new Lord of the Rings movie now having an official title and a director, new details about the project could arrive over the next few months as development on the project continues.

Source: Warner Bros. Discovery