The Lord of the Rings: New Details on the Plot of The Hunt for Gollum
Initial casting details are already known
News from Middle-earth! With "The Hunt for Gollum," another film from the world of "The Lord of the Rings" awaits us in 2027. Details about the plot were still scarce – until now. The portals Knight Edge Media and TheOneRing have now received more detailed information about the plot from an alleged insider!
"The Hunt for Gollum" is said to be set roughly between Bilbo's birthday party and the first meeting 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. But we also take a look back: Apparantly, we see Gollum in a time before the ring corrupted him. As the hobbit Sméagol, he was already seen in a flashback in "The Return of the King".
What is already known?
As always with alleged leaks, it remains to be seen whether the information will be confirmed. What is already known, however, is that Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo are said to be part of the cast. Andy Serkis will once again slip into his signature role as Gollum. At the same time, he will also take on the role of director this time around. According to the latest information, Aragorn is likely to play a significant role in "The Hunt for Gollum." However, it remains unclear whether the fan favorite will once again be played by Viggo Mortensen.
McKellen recently revealed on Stephen Colbert's Late Night Show that filming is set to begin in New Zealand in July 2026. The theatrical release date has already been officially confirmed: on December 17, 2027, we will travel to Middle-earth once again. In our movie preview, we take an in-depth look at "The Hunt for Gollum"!
Behind the scenes
Both the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the "Hobbit" films were directed by Peter Jackson. He is now handing over the reins to Andy Serkis, who already has experience in the director's chair: his previous work includes "Venom 2" and the Netflix film "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle." He already took on behind-the-camera tasks for individual scenes in "The Hobbit."
Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, who wrote the scripts for the earlier films together with Peter Jackson, are among those involved in the screenplay. This time, Jackson is acting solely as a producer. They are also being supported by Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, who most recently worked on the screenplay for the animated film "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim." Jackson sees great potential in a standalone film about Gollum:
"The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic. I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there's a little bit of both of them in all of us. [...]"
The legacy of The Lord of the Rings
With his film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy epic in the early 2000s, director Peter Jackson created a cinematic event that continues to have an impact today. The trilogy – consisting of "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King" – set new standards for the fantasy genre. Filmed in the spectacular landscapes of New Zealand, the films tell the story of the hobbit Frodo Baggins, who must destroy the One Ring to save Middle-earth from the dark lord Sauron. The series combines epic battles with intimate moments of friendship, courage, and sacrifice.
In addition to the detailed sets, the innovative use of special effects was particularly impressive. The character Gollum, played and brought to life using motion capture technology by Andy Serkis, is still considered a milestone in digital film technology today. One thing is certain: Andy Serkis is considered a pioneer of modern motion capture technology – although it is now more commonly referred to as "performance capture", as it no longer records just movement sequences, but also the finest facial expressions and nuances. His interpretation of the character set new standards in both technology and acting at the time. In the years that followed, he played numerous other memorable roles, such as in the newer "Planet of the Apes" films.
