Middle-earth is calling again, and this time we’re going back to Frodo’s early days in the Shire. Warner Bros.’ The Hunt for Gollum is set to bring The Lord of the Rings back to the big screen for the first time since The Hobbit trilogy ended more than a decade ago, telling a story that’s mostly been left off-screen. Announced in 2024, the upcoming film will be set before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring and take inspiration from Tolkien’s appendices, following the long, largely unseen period between Bilbo Baggins’ farewell and Frodo’s departure from the Shire, as Gandalf’s concerns about the One Ring start to grow.
Andy Serkis is returning as Gollum while also directing, with Peter Jackson producing and Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens writing the script. With filming all set to kick off sometime in May and a December 2027 release already on the calendar, here’s everything we know so far about The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, including the release date, cast, story details, and what to expect next.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum: Release Date
The next trip to Middle-earth is still some way off, but we now finally have a date. Warner Bros. has confirmed that The Hunt for Gollum will arrive in theatres on December 17, 2027.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum: Cast
So far, Warner Bros. has revealed very little about the cast of The Hunt for Gollum. The film is expected to enter production sometime in May, but there’s still no word on the wider cast. Currently, the only character officially confirmed is Gollum himself, with Andy Serkis set to reprise his role from Peter Jackson’s trilogy and also direct the film. Beyond that, we’ve had a few teases about who else could be part of the film. Recently, Sir Ian McKellen revealed that Gandalf and Frodo will both appear in The Hunt for Gollum, teasing that the story will reunite the two characters on screen.
While McKellen did not say who will play Frodo, the comment has naturally raised questions about Elijah Wood’s possible return, especially with Andy Serkis and McKellen already back in their original roles. “It’s going to start filming in May. It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum. But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed,” McKellen said during the For the Love of Fantasy fan event in London (via TikTok).
While the studio has yet to confirm who will be playing Frodo, Elijah Wood has suggested that McKellen’s comments are likely accurate, joking that “a wizard is to be trusted” while also adding that he isn’t allowed to confirm anything just yet. “I can neither confirm nor deny. Listen, a wizard is to be trusted,” Wood told ScreenRant at Fan Expo New Orleans. “Aside from any of that, I’m not really allowed to confirm. I’m really excited about the film. I think it really is a creative ‘getting the band back together.’ A lot of the creative heads of department are back and in that space again. Philippa [Boyens] I think, is co-writing it and producing it. It’s very much that core original group getting back together to tell this story that will feel like a really fun exploration of this character that we all love so much. And I’m just really excited.”
Moreover, it looks like The Hunt for Gollum will feature a different Aragorn this time. While the character is set to be central to the story, reports suggest the part is being recast, as Viggo Mortensen is now considered too old to portray a younger version of the ranger. According to The One Ring (via SFF Gazette), auditions are already underway in London and New Zealand to find a new actor to take on the role, as the film is said to be set roughly 20 years before The Fellowship of the Ring. For now, here’s what the cast of The Hunt for Gollum looks like so far:
- Andy Serkis as Gollum
- Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf
- Elijah Wood as Frodo
What Will The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Movie Be About?
With pre-production ramping up in New Zealand, The Hunt for Gollum is preparing to begin filming later this year, ahead of its December 2027 release. The upcoming film will fill one of the most important gaps in Tolkien’s timeline, pulling directly from The Lord of the Rings appendices. Set years before The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hunt for Gollum’s story will take place after Bilbo’s 111th birthday, but well before Frodo ever leaves the Shire. At this point, Gandalf’s suspicions about Bilbo’s ring are growing harder to ignore.
Fearing that Gollum could be captured and forced to reveal what he knows to Sauron, Gandalf turns to Aragorn and sends him in search of Gollum. From there, the story follows a long, exhausting pursuit across Middle-earth, with the hunt stretching over years and repeatedly going cold.
While Tolkien’s version of these events plays out slowly over a long stretch of time, the film is not expected to follow that structure beat for beat. Andy Serkis has been clear that the goal is not to simply retrace familiar ground. Speaking to Empire, the actor said the team has “a very specific task ahead of us,” aiming for “a return to Middle-earth that satisfies the passion and the love that generations of Lord of the Rings fans have for these stories, while also presenting something completely fresh and new.”
Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are once again deeply involved, having helped shape both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Fans got an extra vote of confidence from Elijah Wood, who revealed at DesertCon in Mexico (via The Direct) that he knows “a great deal” about the script — and that “it’s really good.”
“The brain trust behind Lord of the Rings, Fran, Peter, Philippa, they are heavily involved,” said Wood. “It feels like getting that old machine up and running again with all of the right people.” Boyens has also hinted at what makes the film’s story special. In an interview with Empire, she described The Hunt for Gollum as “an adventure story with a really strong psychological, interior story,” hinting the film will spend as much time inside Gollum’s fractured mind as it does tracking his movements across Middle-earth.
Are There Any Trailers For The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum?
As of writing, there are no trailers for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The film has yet to begin filming, and with shooting expected to start later this year, it’s still too early for a teaser or trailer.
Are There Other Movies Like The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum?
If The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum has you itching for more Middle-earth–style storytelling, The Hobbit trilogy, particularly An Unexpected Journey, is an easy next watch (or rewatch).
Beyond Tolkien, films like 1988’s Willow, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Green Knight explore similar fantasy themes. And of course, it’s worth brushing up on Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy, where it all began.
