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Gollum with a smirk on his face in Lord of the Rings.

Andy Serkis to Direct & Star in New Lord of the Rings Movie

A new Lord of the Rings movie is in the works, and it will focus on one of the most important characters in the original trilogy. Andy Serkis is returning to the franchise to direct and star in what is currently called “Lord of the Rings:Ā The Hunt for Gollum.”

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The movie, which is being produced by Peter JacksonĀ and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, was announced during an earnings call by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. It’s going to arrive in 2026 and be the first of WBD’s next batch of movies set in Middle-earth.

It’s unclear when in the timeline the film will take place, but it’s safe to assume it’ll kick off before the events of Return of the King since Gollum finds out what the bottom of a lava pit looks like in that movie. However, no matter what time period Gollum returns in, Serkis is excited to bring the character to life again.

Related: Is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Canon?

ā€œYesssss, Precious,ā€ Serkis said in a statment. ā€œThe time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, itā€™s just all too deliciousā€¦ā€ Ā Ā 

Jackson, Walksh, and Philippa also talked about their excitement for the project. “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker ā€” Gollum!” they said. “As life long fans of Professor Tolkienā€™s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!ā€


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Jackson Hayes
Jackson Hayes is an Associate Editor at The Escapist. Starting his writing career in 2017, he quickly rose the ranks and became an editor. He's spent the last six years working at outlets such as CBR, Heroic Hollywood and Full Circle Cinema, where he's covered various sports games, Call of Duty, the MCU, and other major properties. You can follow him on Twitter @jacksonhayes67