The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum – Anya Taylor-Joy's role revealed

Now it's official: Anya Taylor-Joy is joining the "Hunt for Gollum." In the new "Lord of the Rings" film, she plays Seren, a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm. She is described as "a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil", according to Deadline.

Seren is not a character from the books by "The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien. Instead, she was created specifically for the new film. There has been speculation for some time about whether Anya Taylor-Joy would be on board for "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum." Most recently, Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman commented on the matter and brought up a previously unknown character named Seren. It turns out he was right – and now we have confirmation: A social media post from Warner Bros. gives us a first look at Seren. The new "Lord of the Rings" actress is also welcomed with the following words:

"Welcome to the hunt, Anya Taylor-Joy."

Acclaimed actress

Anya Taylor-Joy has blossomed into a highly sought-after actress in recent years – even within major franchises. She was already part of the cast of the science-fiction saga "Dune" and played the title character in the post-apocalyptic action film "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." With "The Lord of the Rings," she'll soon be able to add another blockbuster to her filmography. But she's made a name for herself not only in the movies but also on television. Anya Taylor-Joy caused quite a stir as the lead in the acclaimed miniseries "The Queen's Gambit."

The Lord of the Rings: Familiar faces in the new film

In the "Hunt for Gollum," the star is in good company. Among others, the cast includes several actors already well-known from Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" films. Alongside Taylor-Joy, the ensemble features familiar faces such as Elijah Wood as Frodo and Ian McKellen as Gandalf. Andy Serkis once again takes on the role of the titular Gollum via motion capture. Serkis is also the director of the new "Lord of the Rings" film. Lee Pace will appear as Thranduil – just as he did in Jackson's "Hobbit" films.

One actor from the original films who will not be returning, however, is Viggo Mortensen. Instead, "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan will play the protagonist Aragorn. Leo Woodall had previously been rumored as a potential replacement – but as we now know, the actor from the HBO series "The White Lotus" will not be playing Aragorn, but rather Halvard. Also new to the cast is "Titanic" actress Kate Winslet, who will take on the role of Marigol.

In terms of plot, the new "Lord of the Rings" film is intended to complement the events from Peter Jackson's 2001 cinematic adventure "The Fellowship of the Ring." Aragorn is likely to play a central role: As the title suggests, he is set to embark on a quest to find Gollum in this upcoming fantasy adventure set in Middle-earth. "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" hits theaters on December 17, 2027.

More to come for Lord of the Rings fans

"The Hunt for Gollum" isn't the only film from the "Lord of the Rings" universe currently in development. "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow 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." Fourteen years after Frodo's passing, Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam's daughter Elanor discovers a long-kept secret. She tries 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. As was recently announced, 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 scheduled to begin in early 2027.