The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum – Everything We Know About Cast, Plot, and Release
Parijat Ghosh 
Get ready, Middle-earth fans. A brand new Lord of the Rings movie is officially on the way. It dives into one of the most mysterious periods of Tolkien lore, long before Frodo set out from the Shire. This movie is called The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and it promises to give us a fresh perspective on a familiar face we all love and fear.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum – What It Literally Is
The Hunt for Gollum is a live-action Lord of the Rings movie produced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. The story takes place before The Fellowship of the Ring, in a timeline where Gandalf and Aragorn try to track down Gollum before Sauron gets his claws on him. The filmmakers plan to tell the story mostly from Gollum’s point of view, offering a dark, tense adventure deep into Middle-earth’s shadows.
Who’s Making It
This project brings back heavy hitters from the original movies. Andy Serkis returns not just as Gollum, but also as director. That’s huge because Serkis helped define Gollum’s performance in the original trilogy. Peter Jackson joins as a producer along with his longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the writers behind the original films, including The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King. They also co-write the screenplay with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Howard Shore, the composer behind the iconic Middle-earth score, is on board to return for music.
Cast Buzz and Returning Faces – Gandalf, Frodo, Gollum, Aragon and More
Only a few cast details are confirmed so far. Andy Serkis will reprise his legendary role as Gollum through motion capture. That much is certain.
At a fan event in early 2026, Ian McKellen teased that both Gandalf and Frodo would appear, and he hinted that Elijah Wood could return as Frodo, though nothing is officially locked. Other original cast members like Sean Bean and Orlando Bloom are rumored to be possible returns, but again, nothing has been fully confirmed.
There’s also talk about Aragorn’s role. Because the story happens much earlier in the timeline, The Hunt for Gollum will almost certainly require a younger Aragorn. This means a new actor will likely step into the boots made famous by Viggo Mortensen.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Plot at a Glance
The movie takes place in Middle-earth around the time right before the Fellowship forms. Gandalf discovers that Gollum has escaped Sauron and sends Aragorn on a desperate mission to find him. The journey moves across forests, mountains, and ruins, digging deep into Gollum’s inner conflict and monstrous past.
This hunt unfolds years before Frodo leaves the Shire. And it gives us a look at the darker corners of Tolkien’s world that were only hinted at in the original trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Release Details
Originally teased for 2026, the film now arrives in theaters on December 17, 2027. Filming is expected to begin in May 2026 in New Zealand, keeping continuity with the classic trilogy’s stunning landscapes.
Fans have yet to see an official trailer, but anticipation is massive. This movie promises to pull back the curtain on a story Tolkien fans have talked about for decades. Stay tuned, because Middle-earth is about to feel new again.
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