Fans eager to return to Middle-earth will have to wait a little longer. Originally slated for December 2026, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum has been pushed back a full year, with Andy Serkis confirming that the film is now eyeing a December 2027 release.
The delay comes down to the extensive planning and visual effects work needed to bring the project to life. Serkis explained at Fan Expo Vancouver 2025 (via The Direct):
“We are right at the beginning of the writing process. We will be prepping later this year. Prep takes a good chunk of time, six or seven months, and then we will be shooting next year. So, it backs into that December 2027 release date.”
Since its announcement in May 2024, details on Hunt for Gollum have been scarce. What we do know is that Serkis will not only direct but also reprise his iconic role as Gollum.
The film will be a standalone story, filmed in New Zealand, with Peter Jackson attached as executive producer. Boyens previously revealed details on the story and promised The Hunt For Gollum would be a gripping tale, saying:
“It’s quite an intense story, which falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines Of Moria. It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”
During another interview, Jackson also opened up about the story they are looking to tell offering some insight on why they wanted to tell this tragic story of Gollum.
Jackson explained: “The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic.
“I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there’s a little bit of both of them in all of us. We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films.
“It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien.”
We also know that Ian McKellen’s Gandalf is set to play a role in the film. When asked about the story direction, Lord of the Rings Boyens hinted at the wizard’s involvement, saying, “We’re playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf.”
McKellen also talked about the project, saying: “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.”
The actor added: “When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So, they better be quick.” When asked previously asked if he’s interested in returning to the role, he replied with a chuckle, “If I’m alive.”
With a long wait ahead, there’s still much to uncover about Hunt for Gollum. One thing’s for sure, when it does finally arrive, fans will be ready to journey back into Tolkien’s world.
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