The tales of Middle-earth continue—this time, with our favorite corrupted hobbit, Gollum!
In the recent For The Love of Fantasy convention held in London, Sir Ian McKellen, better known to JRR Tolkien fans as the wizard Gandalf, confirmed that his character will be part of an upcoming film “directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum,” alongside Frodo Baggins.
“I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting: There’s a character in the movie called Frodo, and there’s a character in the movie called Gandalf. Apart from that, my lips are sealed,” Mckellen shared playfully during the convention.
While Mckellen did not confirm if he or fellow Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood will reprise their roles, he has previously expressed interest in returning to Middle-earth, saying “Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating … I can’t tell you any more than that. I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I’ll be playing him.”
The prequel project, entitled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, is set to take place in the 17 years between Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday party and the day Gandalf returns to warn Frodo about the minions of Mordor. Since Frodo has lived an idyllic life before the events of the film, it is of interest to note what role he will play in the film, and what events will follow.
Filming is scheduled to begin in May 2026, with Andy Serkis playing double duty as the director and as Gollum, and the writing team of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens returning to the fold to help bring Tolkien’s vision to life.
Serkis shared his enthusiasm for the project, saying in an interview with Collider: “I’m incredibly excited to go back and work with my friends and family in New Zealand and actually do something which is, I think, going to be surprising, and yet very much part of the lore and the feel of the trilogy. The sensibility of it will feel, I think, close to that, and yet we’re investigating in greater depth the character formerly known as Smeagol, but mostly known as Gollum.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently slated to release on December 17, 2027. Stay tuned for more updates on the next installment of the Middle-earth saga.