Ian McKellen: The Hunt for Gollum to be Told in Two Movies

An increasing number of news reports about "The Lord of the Rings" movie "The Hunt for Gollum" are popping up. The source is once again Gandalf actor Sir Ian McKellen. He has just been a guest on the British program "This Morning" and chatted happily about his current projects. And he probably let slip a little more than he was actually allowed to say.

The probably most important piece of information: "The Hunt for Gollum" will be 2 movies! At least that's what the actor was told. Until now, it was actually assumed that the project would only be one single live-action film directed by Gollum actor Andy Serkis.

In addition, McKellen said that he should receive the script for the new "Lord of the Rings" movies shortly after the New Year, meaning at the beginning of 2025. He is looking forward to playing the old wizard again - particularly because it means he can travel to New Zealand once more.

A Brief Overview of All Modern Lord of the Rings Projects

Since the turn of the millennium, the Lord of the Rings franchise, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, has had a decisive influence on the fantasy genre in cinema and television. Below is a brief overview of the various films and series that have been released since 2001:

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

"The Lord of the Rings" trilogy by Peter Jackson, which was released between 2001 and 2003, is considered one of the most ambitious and successful film projects in cinema history. The films are based on Tolkien's trilogy of novels and consist of:

• "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001)
  The story begins in the peaceful Shire, where the young hobbit Frodo Baggins comes into possession of the One Ring, a powerful artifact that the Dark Lord Sauron wants to reclaim in order to rule Middle-earth. Together with the "Fellowship of the Ring", consisting of humans, elves, dwarves and hobbits, Frodo embarks on a dangerous journey to destroy the ring.

• "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002)
  The Fellowship of the Ring has fallen apart, and Frodo and Sam continue their journey to Mordor, accompanied by Gollum, who was once possessed by the Ring himself. At the same time, the other members of the Fellowship prepare for the battles against Saruman and his army of Orcs.

• "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)
  The conclusion of the trilogy shows the decisive battle for Middle-earth as Frodo and Sam reach Mordor to destroy the ring in Mount Doom. The movie ends with Aragorn's coronation as king and the end of the reign of evil.

The trilogy was not only a critical success, but also extremely successful commercially. It won a total of 17 Oscars, including eleven for "The Return of the King" alone, which set the record for the most Oscars won by a single film. The movies were characterized by their revolutionary visual effects, epic battle scenes and detailed world design. They set a new standard for the fantasy genre and had a lasting impact on 21st century cinema.

2. The Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014)

After the enormous success of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Peter Jackson returned to film Tolkien's shorter novel "The Hobbit". Despite the shorter length of the book, it was split into three movies:

• "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012)
  The hobbit Bilbo Baggins, a relative of Frodo, is recruited by Gandalf the Wizard to join a group of dwarves who want to reclaim their kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug. The film depicts Bilbo's first adventure and his encounter with Gollum, during which he finds the One Ring.

• "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)
  The group reaches the Sea City and later Erebor, where Bilbo manages to confront Smaug. Meanwhile, Sauron's forces are secretly plotting to subjugate Middle-earth.

• "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" (2014)
  The final movie shows the battle for Erebor between various factions, including humans, elves, dwarves, orcs and trolls. In the end, Smaug is defeated, but the threat of Sauron remains.

Although the "Hobbit" trilogy was financially successful, it received mixed reviews. Many critics and fans felt that the decision to split the book into three movies led to an over-expansion of the plot. Nevertheless, the films offered visually stunning moments and deepened the universe of Middle-earth.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-present)

"The Rings of Power" is a series based on the appendices and backstories that J.R.R. Tolkien left behind in his works about Middle-earth. The series is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, millennia before the events of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". It focuses on the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the creation of the Rings of Power and the fall of the Isle of Númenor.

With an estimated budget of over one billion US dollars for several seasons, "The Rings of Power" is considered one of the most expensive TV productions of all time. Despite some skepticism from fans who feared that the series could not match the quality of the films, the series was largely well-received. Critics praised the breathtaking landscapes and epic storytelling, although there was some controversy over the plot and character developments.

4. Future Projects

"The Lord of the Rings" franchise shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to the ongoing production of "The Rings of Power", there are other planned movie projects, including the Lord of the Rings anime "The War of the Rohirrim" and the two movies for the "The Hunt for Gollum" project.