Image via New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
Published Feb 16, 2026, 12:08 PM EST
Erielle Sudario is a Collider News and Feature Author from Australia and has worked in the journalism industry since 2018. She has a passion for entertainment and pop culture news and has interviewed YouTubers, voice actors, film directors, and musicians throughout her career. When she's not writing, you can see Erielle building keyboards, reading a good book, playing video games, and creating content on social media.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is less than two years from entering theaters, and details about the upcoming feature are slowly coming out. This upcoming installment of The Lord of the Rings has Andy Serkis directing and reprising his role as Gollum. The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to enter production this year, with a handful of familiar names returning. One of The Hunt For Gollum's main cast members is Sir Ian McKellan, who's reprising his role as Gandalf, and joining alongside him is Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. Since the film's announcement, there has been speculation about who else might return, with some expressing interest in reprising their roles. As the movie is about to enter production, more details about its plot have been revealed.
In a recent interview in The Times, McKellan teased what's to come for this upcoming fantasy film. According to the actor, the film is designed for those who "like Lord of the Rings," bringing back the franchise's adventure plot with some familiar faces, hinting at the possible return of Viggo Mortensen. He said:
"I'm not in the position to say — but the script is designed to appeal to people who like Lord of the Rings. It's an adventure story, Aragorn trying to find Gollum with Gandalf directing operations from the sidelines."
At the moment, it hasn't been confirmed if Mortensen is reprising his role. Screenwriter Philippa Boyens said they were interested in having the actor return, but that Mortensen's involvement would "completely depend on whether the script speaks to him."
What Do We Know About 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum'?
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is an upcoming film that was first announced in May 2024. Alongside Serkis and Boyens, the project also has Peter Jackson, who previously directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy, attached as a producer. Full details for The Hunt for Gollum have yet to be shared, but the movie has received the full confidence of Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav, saying The Hunt for Gollum has "a great script." At the moment, only three cast members have been confirmed, and no new or familiar names have been added as of writing.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to enter theaters on December 17, 2027. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.
Release Date December 17, 2027
Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings
English (US) ·