LOTR Star Orlando Bloom Says THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Director Andy Serkis Plans To Us "AI" To De-Age Actors

LOTR Star Orlando Bloom Says THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Director Andy Serkis Plans To Us "AI" To De-Age Actors

Orlando Bloom has revealed that he has spoken to The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum director Andy Serkis about potentially reprising the role of Legolas... with an AI makeover!

By MarkCassidy - Sep 07, 2024 11:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Lord of the Rings
Source: Via SFF Gazette

Sir Ian McKellen recently confirmed that he has been approached to return as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and his LOTR co-star, Orlando Bloom, has now revealed that he's also spoken to director Andy Serkis about potentially reprising the role of Legolas.

Bloom played the Elven archer in Peter Jackson's original trilogy and The Hobbit movies, and some digital technology was used to shave a few years off the actor.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star was first asked if he would be interested in being a part of the new LOTR movies during an interview with Variety.

“Oh, man, those things are amazing. Yeah. I don’t know how they’d do it. I guess with AI you can do anything these days. But, if Pete [Peter Jackson] says jump, I say, ‘how high?’ I mean, he started my whole career.”

Bloom went on to mention that he's talked to Serkis about the upcoming project, and the filmmaker told him that AI could be utilized, presumably to make the returning characters look younger.

“I really don’t know what [they are planning]. I did speak to Andy [Serkis] and he did say they were thinking about how to do things. I was like, ‘How would that even work?’ And he was like, ‘Well, AI!’ and I was like, ‘Oh, OK!’ It was a pretty magical time in my life, and it’s one of those things where there’s not a downside to it.”

If Serkis really is planning to us AI to de-age most of his cast, we can see a downside!

This practice is highly frowned-upon, and more and more people are speaking out about it as certain industry higher-ups attempt to sway public opinion. We're not sure how serious Serkis was being here, but it certainly sounds like using AI for The Hunt for Gollum is something he is considering.

What do you make of Bloom's comments? Let us know in the usual place.

“It is an honour 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!,” Jackson, Boyens and Walsh said in a statement when the film was announced. “As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”

“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,” added Serkis. “With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”.

“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision,” WBD film chiefs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca added. “We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum(*WT), we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history.”

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 9/7/2024, 11:56 AM
User Comment Image
AI my d1c
MuadDib
MuadDib - 9/7/2024, 11:57 AM
At some point de-aging tech will be seamless and indistinguishable from reality, not sure we’re there yet. But in a few years we will be.

Blergh
Blergh - 9/7/2024, 12:00 PM
@MuadDib - to be fair there'll need to be experimentation to that point.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/7/2024, 1:07 PM
@MuadDib - I'd trust Peter Jackson and Weta over 99% of Hollywood lol
CharlesLeeRay
CharlesLeeRay - 9/8/2024, 1:07 PM
@MuadDib - do not underestimate Uncanny Valley.
The1st
The1st - 9/8/2024, 3:08 PM
@Blergh - True. Same thing with The Volume.
Blergh
Blergh - 9/7/2024, 11:59 AM
1. I don't think this film needs to happen. Matter of fact I'd rather it doesn't happen.
2. If it happens I really don't mind Legolas appearing, at this point he's the connective thread between the movie series.

But what's stopping them from doing a spin-off set during LotR's epilogue that sees Legolas and Gimli found their city of elves and dwarves?
That story would be both in-canon and a perfect tale about inclusion and love despite differences. Perfect movie for the times, not even the anti-woke crowd could complain.
rkshuttleworth
rkshuttleworth - 9/7/2024, 2:22 PM
@Blergh - you don't have to watch it. I will
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 9/8/2024, 1:48 AM
@Blergh - Legolas was the only added character from the Hobbit films that I didn’t mind. He was kinda just there, but it fit with where he was from, so it was a nice connecting piece to LOTR.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 9/7/2024, 12:07 PM

@Grif sh!t movie comment incoming.

And he'll be very right.


TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/7/2024, 12:13 PM
I mean , I’m not surprised if Serkis is considering using AI to some extent for his film since he seems to be an advocate for tech in films given his history with motion/performance capture.

However , I feel this is moreso like deaging then obviously resurrecting dead actors to reprise their roles or even a Luke Skywalker in Mando situation which has been done previously so I don’t see the issue with that.

Granted I’m not super well versed in all this stuff so probably shouldn’t have commented on it in the first place but oh well.
LSHF
LSHF - 9/7/2024, 1:51 PM
@TheVisionary25 - You're comments are always welcomed (by me, anyway).
EZBeast
EZBeast - 9/7/2024, 12:14 PM
[frick] off...
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 9/7/2024, 12:33 PM
"it’s one of those things where there’s not a downside to it"
User Comment Image
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 9/8/2024, 1:49 PM
@HashTagSwagg - guess it depends how it’s done - marvel had used de-aging tech for years and it looks good
Fares
Fares - 9/7/2024, 12:57 PM
That's a title that's meant to induce contention if I ever seen one. Deepfakes were being used before the recent Ai boom and no one batted an eye. Ai was being used behind the curtain in many programs to make certain tools function better and in a more seamless fashion and no batted an eye. This is nothing new, and it's far from the morally questionable applications of Ai that we're arguing about today.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 9/7/2024, 1:05 PM
The rivalry between him and Gimli was great.
Order66
Order66 - 9/7/2024, 1:08 PM
Why is this movie being made? I love LOTR but this is not needed. Sorry.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 9/7/2024, 1:24 PM
@Order66 - money
rkshuttleworth
rkshuttleworth - 9/7/2024, 2:23 PM
@Order66 - you also don't have to watch it
McMurdo
McMurdo - 9/7/2024, 4:34 PM
@Order66 - Didnt you love Alien Romulus? It's being made for precisely the same reason that film was made.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 9/7/2024, 1:10 PM
Come on, we can work through it. Remember Better Call Saul? no AI there as far as I know.
IcePyke
IcePyke - 9/7/2024, 1:57 PM
AI? Really? 😑
User Comment Image
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 9/7/2024, 1:57 PM
There’s already one good thing about this movie, it’ll definitely be better than Rings Of Power. 👍🤣
LSHF
LSHF - 9/7/2024, 1:57 PM
Whatever works best (looks the best).

Personally, I prefer the not 100% look of Peter Cushing from Rogue One and Luke from the Disney+ show over hiring another actor that doesn't look like the original actor. I have rarely liked that method, so I welcome any technology that helps de-age these characters.

I know some complained about how Peter Cushing's character looked, but it looked a LOT more like him than just hiring another and everyone pretends it's the same.
VicLai
VicLai - 9/7/2024, 11:17 PM
Maybe learn to proofread before publishing. “ LOTR Star Orlando Bloom Says THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Director Andy Serkis Plans To Us "AI" To De-Age Actors”.

To Us “AI”???
whatevtrev
whatevtrev - 9/8/2024, 8:28 AM
If it's used in the right way, I got no issue with it. He's still young enough for it to not be too distracting. Alien: Romulus did not use it in the right way.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 9/8/2024, 10:21 AM
Please no.

The Hobbit movies were already an abomination to the franchise and the Rings of Power sure as hell ain’t helping.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 9/8/2024, 11:05 AM
I’m curious what they do with this but deaging tech usually has me saying oof. I think the one time they made it look good was in Captain Marvel, oddly enough, with Samuel L Jackson. The rest of the time it has been spotty at best.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 9/8/2024, 11:06 AM
Also the only character that’ll really need it is Aragorn and that’s assuming they can even get Viggo Mortenson back. Maybe Lee Pace for Thranduil. Not sure how well he has aged.

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