We got confirmation that more live-action movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy adventure novels, The Lord of the Rings, were officially in-development last year, and it's now been announced that the first film will hit theaters in 2026 - with Andy Serkis set to direct and reprise the role of Gollum!
Original LOTR trilogy director Peter Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are also on board as producers, and “will be involved every step of the way” according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
"Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and revered franchises in history and presents a significant opportunity for theatrical business,” added the WBD boss.
The movie's working title is The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which should give you a pretty good idea of what the story will focus on! This time period wasn't a major part of Tolkien's novels, but does get a mention, with Aragorn revealing that he tracked Smeagol down to get information on the one ring prior to the wretch falling into Sauron's clutches.
How much story can be mined from this premise remains to be seen, but if the likes of Aragorn and Gandalf are involved, it's probably a safe bet that new actors will be cast in the roles.
“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. “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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