Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema have officially announced a new live-action film set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, titled 'The Hunt for Gollum.' The project was revealed on May 9, 2024, by studio heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy.
Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in Peter Jackson's original trilogy, will direct the film and reprise his iconic role. The screenplay is being written by Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, known for their work on the 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' anime film. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens are involved as producers.
The film is described as an exploration of Gollum's character and story, which was only briefly touched upon in the original films. It is currently in the early stages of pre-production, with no confirmed release date. The announcement was strategically made on 'Tolkien Reading Day,' an annual celebration of the author's work held on March 25.
This film is part of a multi-picture deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Embracer Group, which holds the adaptation rights to 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' through its Middle-earth Enterprises subsidiary. It represents the first new live-action 'Lord of the Rings' film since the conclusion of the original trilogy in 2003.
