Warner Bros. has announced plans to release a new live-action “The Lord of the Rings” movie titled “The Hunt for Gollum” in 2026. The film will focus on the iconic character Gollum, with Andy Serkis returning to direct and reprise his role as the wretched hobbit.
Peter Jackson, who directed the acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, is on board as a producer along with longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. The trio will be “involved every step of the way,” according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
Walsh and Boyens are co-writing the script with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou to explore new storylines around Gollum that have yet to be depicted on screen. While plot details are being kept under wraps, the film promises to delve deeper into the twisted psyche and tragic past of the character.
“We are honored they have agreed to be our partners on this new film,” said Warner Bros. studio heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy. “With Andy coming aboard to direct, we continue an important commitment to excellence for contributing to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ cinematic legacy.”
Serkis, who pioneered the performance capture acting that brought Gollum to life, said he was thrilled to return to “the unknown” of Middle-earth with his “dear friends” Jackson, Walsh and Boyens.
The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide between 2001-2003 and won 17 Academy Awards, including Best Picture for “The Return of the King.” Jackson’s subsequent “Hobbit” trilogy from 2012-2014 matched that global box office success.
Production on “The Hunt for Gollum” is expected to utilize the filmmaking talent and crew from New Zealand that helped bring Tolkien’s world to life in the previous films. The new project marks the latest attempt to sustain the lucrative “Lord of the Rings” franchise on the big screen following Amazon’s upcoming series “The Rings of Power” set in the Second Age of Middle-earth.