The Hunt for Gollum: First Set Photos from the New The Lord of the Rings Movie Released

Good news from Middle-earth: Filming for "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" is already in full swing. And now we get a behind-the-scenes look in the form of the first set photos!

This gives us a glimpse of the Shire set in Matamata, which previously served as the backdrop for Hobbiton in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and later in the "Hobbit" films. One photo in particular catches the eye and is likely to spark speculation. It shows a hobbit whose appearance strongly resembles Frodo's. It was already announced prior to production that Elijah Wood would return as Frodo Baggins.

Andy Serkis himself can also be seen in the photos. The actor is not only reprising his role as Gollum, but is also directing "The Hunt for Gollum" for the first time. However, this role isn't entirely new to him: Serkis already gained experience as a second-unit director during the "Hobbit" trilogy.

A few days ago, Gandalf actor Ian McKellen also provided a special moment of nostalgia. The actor, now 87, will once again slip into the role of the wizard and, somewhat by accident, shared photos of parts of his costume. The images were taken during a video message that McKellen recorded for the Australian singer Troye Sivan.

Here's what The Hunt for Gollum is about

"The Hunt for Gollum" is set roughly between Bilbo's birthday party and the first gathering of the Fellowship. Gollum must leave his cave – familiar from the "Hobbit" films – to find the Ring again. At the same time, Gandalf sends Aragorn on a quest to find the title character. The film will therefore take place concurrently with "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring". But we'll likely also take a look back: we'll see Gollum at a time before the Ring corrupted him. As the hobbit Sméagol, he was already seen at the beginning of "The Return of the King".

These actors will appear

The cast of the new Middle-earth adventure is already impressive. In addition to Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis, we'll also be introduced to a number of new actors. Jamie Dornan takes on a central role. The actor from the film adaptation of the bestseller "Fifty Shades of Grey" replaces Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. Previously, Leo Woodall's name had been mentioned several times as a potential replacement. As it turned out, the actor from the HBO series "The White Lotus" is indeed part of "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" – though he will not be playing Aragorn, but rather Halvard.

Kate Winslet, on the other hand, will take on the role of Marigol. Lee Pace, meanwhile, will once again portray Thranduil – just as he did in Peter Jackson's previous "Hobbit" films. Thranduil will be supported by Seren, a Sindar elf from the Woodland Realm. She will be portrayed by none other than Anya Taylor-Joy. Seren is not a character from the books by "The Lord of the Rings" creator J.R.R. Tolkien. Instead, the character was created specifically for the new film. The theatrical release of "The Hunt for Gollum" is currently scheduled for December 17, 2027.

More Projects from Middle-earth

"The Hunt for Gollum" isn't the only film from the "Lord of the Rings" universe currently in development. "The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past" is also in the works – based on an idea by Stephen Colbert. The famous TV host drew inspiration from six chapters of the first "Lord of the Rings" book, "The Fellowship of the Ring". The story apparently picks up 14 years after Frodo's departure. Sam, Merry, and Pippin reflect on the early days of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam's daughter Elanor discovers a long-kept secret. She wants to find out why the War of the Ring was nearly lost before it had even begun.

Fans can also look forward to the third season of the prequel series, which is set thousands of years before the events in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" films. The new episodes of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" will premiere on November 11, 2026, on Prime Video. And that's not all: Season 4 is reportedly already in development. Preparations are apparently in full swing. Filming for the new episodes is already slated to begin in early 2027.