Andy Serkis to Direct and Star in New Lord of the Rings Gollum Movie, Peter Jackson Producing
Currently titled ‘The Hunt for Gollum,’ the new film is the first of two live-action ‘Lord of the Rings’ films Peter Jackson is developing
Andy Serkis is heading back to Middle-earth.
Warner Bros. recently announced that Andy Serkis, at age 60, will be returning to his iconic role as Gollum in a fresh new film, currently titled ‘The Hunt for Gollum’.
Serkis, renowned for his groundbreaking performance as the Ring-obsessed creature in the early 2000s, will also be directing this exciting new installment.
Peter Jackson, the visionary director behind the initial Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit series, will be producing the movie along with his trusted team—Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.
Walsh and Boyens, who skillfully adapted J.R.R. Tolkien’s timeless novels to the screen, will join forces with screenwriters Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou—who penned the upcoming animation ‘The War of the Rohirrim,’ due this fall—to craft the new screenplay.
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker – Gollum!” shared Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens in a statement.
This new movie marks the first of two Middle-earth films that Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens are crafting for Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.
Although details about the second film remain under wraps, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mentioned in a company call that new films in the beloved franchise are in the early script development phase, with an expected release in 2026.
“Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth, Peter, Fran, and Philippa,” said Serkis, echoing the voice of Gollum.
“With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros. team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”
Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema first shared in February 2023 that they had secured a deal with rights holder Embracer Group AB to create new films based on Tolkien’s works. The studio emphasized that Tolkien’s rich universe still has many untold stories waiting to be explored on film.
Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings series, created over three years between 2001 and 2003, were not only highly acclaimed, winning 17 Academy Awards, but also wildly successful at the box office, grossing over $1 billion worldwide.
Coincidentally, in 2022, Prime Video launched a prequel series titled ‘The Rings of Power,’ expanding the lore of The Lord of the Rings universe. A second season of this series is planned for release in 2024.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’s animated film ‘The War for the Rohirrim’ is set to hit theaters on December 13.
