Earlier this year, Ian McKellen stirred excitement among “Lord of the Rings” fans by suggesting that the upcoming film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, would actually be split into two movies.
However, screenwriter Philippa Boyens, who previously collaborated with Peter Jackson on both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, has clarified the situation.
In an interview, Boyens confirmed that The Hunt for Gollum is indeed a single film, although additional live-action Rings movies may follow in the future.
“I can tell you definitively it isn’t two films!” Boyens explained. “That misunderstanding arose because we’ve started working conceptually on two different live-action films. The first being The Hunt for Gollum, the second one is yet to be confirmed.”
Boyens is co-writing The Hunt for Gollum alongside longtime collaborators Fran Walsh, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou.
She described the new film as “quite an intense story” that takes place between Bilbo’s birthday party and the events in the Mines of Moria.
The film focuses on “a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”
Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum through motion capture in Jackson’s trilogies, is directing The Hunt for Gollum.
Several original cast members, including Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), have expressed interest in reprising their roles if their characters fit into the story. Boyens hinted that future Rings films may heavily feature Gandalf.
“We’re playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf,” Boyens said, speaking about the future of the franchise. “So Gandalf would potentially return for two live-action films.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum was officially announced in May, with Peter Jackson set to produce alongside Boyens and Walsh. The film is currently slated for a 2026 theatrical release, with Warner Bros. and New Line handling distribution.
