As production on The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to begin later this year, more details about the film have been revealed.
Only a few original cast members are currently confirmed to be reprising their roles.

These familiar faces includes: Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The latter will also helm the project as director, taking over Peter Jackson’s role, who is attached as a producer. Some other original cast members, such as Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen, have expressed interest in reprising their roles in the highly anticipated installment, but nothing has been announced as of now.

Who is to say what audiences can expect from the latest installment in this world, but during a recent interview with The Times, McKellen hinted at what might be in store. He took the opportunity to open up about his extensive career, while also giving some insight on the plot for The Hunt for Gollum when prompted, stating, 

I’m not in the position to say — but the script is designed to appeal to people who like Lord of the Rings. It’s an adventure story, Aragorn trying to find Gollum with Gandalf directing operations from the sidelines.

This answer hints at a possible return of Mortensen as Aragorn, but rumors have swirled that the role will be recast. Screenwriter Philippa Boyens said in a December 2024 interview that she “cannot imagine anyone else playing Aragorn,” however, it is up to Mortensen to decide “whether the script speaks to him.” While full plot details for The Hunt for Gollum have yet to be shared, rumors are circulating that the installment will include more flashbacks to Smeagol’s life before he became Gollum, similar to what audiences saw in The Return of the King. Whatever may be in store, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav seems to have full faith in the project, as he gave an update on the feature during an August 2025 financial call, describing the script as “great.”  

Filming is set to begin in July in New Zealand. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to be released in theaters on December 17th, 2027.