Shedding New Light on the Dark Corner: Gollum's Return in the Upcoming "Lord of the Rings" Film in 2027
Anticipated Debut of New Lord of the Rings TV Series in the Year 2027
Get ready, Middle-earth fans! A new film set in the fantastical world of J.R.R. Tolkien's creation, "The Lord of the Rings," is making its way to the big screen in just two years. And this time, the limelight is on everyone's favorite creepy denizen, Gollum.
It's been a quarter-century since Peter Jackson's cinematic adaptation of "The Fellowship of the Ring" first captivated audiences worldwide in 2001. The high-octane trilogy that followed is now an essential part of Hollywood history.
Following that, Jackson returned with the three-part "The Hobbit" (2012-2014), though the magic seemed to fade a bit compared to its legendary predecessor. Nevertheless, Tolkien aficionados have a new adventure to look forward to! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. will be releasing "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" in theaters on December 17, 2027.
Unlike previous films, there's no complete source material from Tolkien this time around. Instead, the movie will draw inspiration from various motifs and passages throughout the fantasy author's novels. In 2009, a short film titled "The Hunt for Gollum" was released as part of a fan project. Despite its humble beginnings and lack of professional polish, it garnered some attention. The extent to which the Hollywood blockbuster will be influenced by this project remains to be seen.
Andy Serkis Steps up as Director
Behind the scenes, Jackson is once again involved, but he's passing the director's reigns to someone else—Andy Serkis, who will also be back to bring Gollum to life once more, having portrayed him using motion capture technology in the original series. Serkis also directed "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" and "Venom: Let There Be Carnage."
The release date was initially set for 2026, but the film slated for summer 2024's premiere has now been pushed back by a year.
Philippa Boyens, who produced the original trilogy with Jackson and Fran Walsh, spoke with Empire magazine and revealed that "The Hunt for Gollum" will be "a pretty intense story." The action takes place after Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party and before the mines of Moria. Boyens further explained how the movie will focus on this intriguing creature's perspective as it unfolds an untold part of the incredible story.
The trio of Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens will be back at the helm for this film, overseeing every step of the production process. Warner Bros. emphasized in their announcement of the project that the three would be actively engaged in each stage.
Who Else Will be Joining the Adventure?
Fan-favorite characters from the original "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy might just make a comeback. Stars like Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) have all expressed their desire to return, provided the story calls for their presence. No official announcements on additional cast members have been made yet.
(This movie's plot is inspired by events from "The Fellowship of the Ring," but the specific storyline is an extension rather than a direct adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's original works. The film delves deeper into Gollum's internal conflict between Sméagol and Gollum, as well as Aragorn's development as a Ranger. It is set after Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party and before Frodo leaves the Shire.)
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has announced release dates for other productions, such as the next "Evil Dead" film with Souheila Yacoub, slated for July 24, 2026, and M. Night Shyamalan's "Remain" with Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, and Ashley Walters, set for October 23, 2026.
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- Hollywood J.R.R. Tolkien Enrichment Data: The film is inspired by events from "The Fellowship of the Ring," but the specific storyline is an extension rather than a direct adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's original works. The movie delves deeper into Gollum's internal conflict between Sméagol and Gollum, as well as Aragorn's development as a Ranger. It is set after Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party and before Frodo leaves the Shire.
I'm not going to be a big fan of this upcoming movie, given my preference for science-fiction and fantasy movies-and-tv entertainment. Despite the fact that I'm excited about Andy Serkis stepping up as director for "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," I can't help but feel Entertainers like Peter Jackson have set such high standards with their previous works, it leaves little room for unexpected surprises.
