Amazon’s prequel TV series, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” has sparked mixed reactions, yet it has undeniably revitalized interest in the highly lucrative franchise.
This resurgence in enthusiasm for Middle-earth narratives has led Warner Bros. to announce the development of two new films earlier this year, one of which bears the working title “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.”
“The Hunt for Gollum” is slated for a 2026 release. In a May investor call, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav revealed that “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” is set for a 2026 release and will “look into storylines yet to be told”.
Andy Serkis, renowned for his portrayal of Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, is set to reprise his role and also direct the upcoming film.
Given that Gollum meets his end in 2003’s “The Return of the King,” it is likely that the movie will serve as a prequel.
In a statement released in May, Serkis shared his excitement about the project, highlighting that Peter Jackson, the director of both “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, will produce the film alongside his long-time collaborators, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.
“Yesssss, Precious. 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,” Serkis wrote.
“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…”
Ian McKellen hinted at the possibility of reprising his role as Gandalf. Gandalf, hobbit five armies Ian McKellen as Gandalf in “The Hobbit.”Warner Bros.
In an interview for the September issue of The Big Issue, McKellen mentioned that he has been in discussions about returning as Gandalf in “The Hunt for Gollum.”
The 85-year-old actor, who originally brought the legendary wizard to life in the 2001-2003 trilogy, and later reprised the role in 2013’s prequel trilogy “The Hobbit,” expressed his continued enthusiasm for the franchise.
“Enthusiasm for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ shows no sign of abating… I can’t tell you any more than that. I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved, and they hope that I’ll be playing him,” McKellen said.
He also noted that the project is still in its early stages, leaving him in the dark about many details.
“When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So, they better be quick,” McKellen added.
It appears that fans of Middle-earth will need to exercise some patience as they await further details about “The Hunt for Gollum.”
