Peter Jackson's Middle-earth movies are some of the most beloved pictures of all-time, ushering in a new age of fantasy projects. The journey began with The Lord of the Rings trilogy from 2001-2003 and continued with a trio of Hobbit movies between 2012 and 2014.
In subsequent years, several Middle-earth projects have kept fans engrossed in J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved world. Perhaps most notably, there's Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is set during the Second Age of Middle-earth. Another good example is the 2024 animated movie The War of the Rohirrim. Outside of these largely standalone projects, we have The Hunt for Gollum, which sees Peter Jackson return to Middle-earth as an executive producer. Andy Serkis will serve as director in addition to reprising his role as Gollum from Jackson's original trilogy.
The Hunt for Gollum is not based on a Tolkien novel, but the story expands on his extensive lore in The Lord of the Rings appendices. The 'hunt' begins when Gandalf sends Aragorn on a quest to find Gollum, out of fear that the latter would spill information about the One Ring to Sauron.
In a recent interview with Collider, Andy Serkis explained where the movie currently stands in its development. “We're very early on in the process. We've been talking about the film over the course of the last year," he explained. "We’re about to start a period of prep in the next few months or so. We will be shooting in the early to mid-part of next year, I guess, and then it'll be as long as it takes to shoot, which — it's a sizable movie — all ready for a December 2027 release."
Serkis is very hyped to return to Middle-earth. "I'm incredibly excited to go back and work with my friends and family in New Zealand and actually do something which is, I think, going to be surprising, and yet very much part of the lore and the feel of the trilogy," he said. "The sensibility of it will feel, I think, close to that, and yet we're investigating in greater depth the character formerly known as Smeagol, but mostly known as Gollum.”
The Hunt for Gollum sounds like a real passion project for Serkis; I'm sure it will be fantastic. After playing Gollum, Serkis went on to get a lot of experience as a director, helming movies like Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (which he also starred in) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Of course, The Hunt for Gollum is an altogether different beast. With the invaluable assistance of Peter Jackson, I'm sure it'll be pretty amazing.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set for release on December 17, 2027.
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