It probably shouldn’t surprise anyone that Warner Bros. wants to bring a new live-action Middle-earth film to the cinema. Last but not least, the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films are among the most popular and successful fantasy blockbusters ever. However, one thing was unexpected at the announcement of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum: Peter Jackson is also involved in the new project.
Although Jackson has brought all of Tolkien’s previous film adaptations to the cinema, for a long time it looked as if he would never set foot in the fantasy universe again. The reason for this is the experiences he had with hasty rotation collected the Hobbit trilogy. During the last part he seemed visibly burned out and said: “I spent most of filming The Hobbit feeling out of control.”
New Lord of the Rings film: Despite a bad Hobbit experience, Peter Jackson returns to Middle-earth for Gollum
What motivated Jackson to return to Middle-earth? After spending a decade working primarily in documentaries (They Shall Not Grow Old, The Beatles: Get Back), he is tackling his first blockbuster in years with The Hunt for Gollum. Jackson is accompanying the project as a producer on “every step of the way”as it was said when the new Lord of the Rings film was announced.
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Frodo, Gollum and Sam in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Jackson explains to Deadline what motivated him to return:
The character of Gollum/Sméagol has always fascinated me because Gollum is that Worst in human nature reflects, while his Sméagol side is quite likeable. I think it appeals to readers and viewers alike because we all have a little bit of both [Versionen der Figur] carry within us.
Now Jackson wants to go even deeper into the character:
We want to explore his backstory and delve into the parts of his journey for which we didn’t have time in the earlier films. It’s too early to say who will cross his path, but we’ll take our cue from Professor Tolkien.
Andy Serkis, who has brought Gollum to life since the Lord of the Rings trilogy, returns in the title role and also takes over the direction. The script was written by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films with Jackson.
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Sméagol in the prologue of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Boyens says about the new Middle-earth project:
The story of Gollum is one of the most exciting for us because we have so far couldn’t penetrate that deeply into the character, as we wanted. Gollum’s life comes at such an interesting time in Middle-earth.
She further explains:
As the question [nach einem neuen Herr der Ringe-Film] came up, that was the first story we thought of. Many people probably won’t believe this, but we had no plans to return to this world. It wasn’t something we really wanted to do. So the question we were asked was: What would attract you back?
The tinker-hating ring enthusiast was the answer. However, The Hunt for Gollum is not just The Lord of the Rings 4, as Boyens explains:
Andy [Serkis] brings his own vision. We don’t want this film to be just the fourth part of the trilogy. This film has to work in its own way. And that is our job. That’s what we have to accomplish. I know there are a lot of people out there who say, ‘Oh no, why do they do that? Why are they going back in?’ Well, that’s our job, to prove why we think it’s a good idea.
Warner Bros.
Gollum in the finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Also involved in the screenplay of The Hunt for Gollum are Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, who wrote the animated The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. It takes place 200 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and tells the story Helms Deep origin story.
When does The Hunt for Gollum start in cinemas?
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum does not have an official theatrical release yet. The announcement stated that… the film is scheduled to be released in cinemas in 2026. Looking back at the release of the previous Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, a launch in December 2026 is recommended. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will also be released in cinemas in December, specifically on December 12, 2024.