The Hunt for Gollum: release date, cast, filming, plot… everything you need to know about the next Lord of the Rings film

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is shaping up to be one of the biggest cinematic events of 2027. Directed by Andy Serkis, this new film takes fans back to the heart of Middle-earth, focusing on one of the saga's most iconic characters: Gollum.

Release Date for The Hunt for Gollum

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have set the release of The Hunt for Gollum for December 2027. Specialized sources announce a release on December 17, 2027, in the United States and December 15, 2027, in several international markets, including France.

The film was initially planned for 2026, but the release was pushed back by a year to allow more time for preparation, filming in New Zealand, and post-production. The goal is to make it a major end-of-year event, in the tradition of the original Lord of the Rings releases.

Director, Producers, and Creative Team

The Hunt for Gollum is directed by Andy Serkis, famous for his portrayal of Gollum/Sméagol and for his directorial work such as Mowgli and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. He will also reprise the role of Gollum in performance-capture, ensuring strong continuity with Peter Jackson's trilogy.

Behind the project, we find a creative team very close to the original films. The film is produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Zane Weiner, through New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., and WingNut Films. The screenplay is written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou, which ensures continuity of tone and respect for the source material.

Philippa Boyens described the film as an intense story, set between Bilbo's birthday party and the Mines of Moria, told largely from Gollum's perspective. The team emphasizes that this is a part never before told on screen, even if it is present in the background in Tolkien's writings.

Plot: What will The Hunt for Gollum be about?

The plot is set after Bilbo's birthday party at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring and before the Fellowship's entry into the Mines of Moria. The film thus focuses on an "off-screen" period of the original trilogy, which The Hunt for Gollum will develop and explore in more detail.

The central theme is the hunt for Gollum by the forces of Good, notably Gandalf and Aragorn. The goal is to find the creature who possessed the One Ring and holds crucial information about Sauron and the fate of the Ring. This hunt will lead Gollum through different territories of Middle-earth, culminating in his capture and interrogation, alluded to in the books but never shown in detail on screen.

The film will largely be told through Gollum's perspective, allowing a deep dive into his psychology. We can expect a more nuanced portrayal, between the residual part of Sméagol, Gollum's corruption, his obsession with the Ring, and his survival instinct.

Casting: Who will be in The Hunt for Gollum?

The full cast has not yet been entirely revealed, but several major returns are already known or strongly suggested. Andy Serkis is, of course, confirmed in the role of Gollum/Sméagol, in addition to directing.

Ian McKellen has indicated that he will reprise the role of Gandalf in this new film. At an event, he also hinted that Elijah Wood would return as Frodo, specifying that the latter had already read a version of the script.

Furthermore, Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) expressed his desire to return if the script justified it, which is consistent with the fact that the hunt for Gollum is linked to his character (it seems the character may eventually be recast). Orlando Bloom (Legolas) has also shown interest in returning to the universe, although nothing is officially signed or announced yet. New supporting characters could also appear, but no reliable details have been released yet.

Filming Locations: New Zealand as Middle-earth

True to the tradition of Peter Jackson's films, The Hunt for Gollum will be filmed in New Zealand. Andy Serkis confirmed that principal photography is scheduled for 2026, with an aiming start around May.

The main production hub will remain the Wellington region, with Peter Jackson's facilities (Weta, Stone Street Studios, etc.). Several team members have been reported scouting and preparing on site as early as 2025.

Some iconic locations are expected to return. Scouting and Andy Serkis' presence around Matamata suggest that the Hobbiton set could be used again, which would be logical if Frodo reappears in the film. Other areas like the Wellington region and Hawke's Bay have also been mentioned for their natural landscapes that could be used to represent wild regions of Middle-earth.

Even if all exact locations remain confidential, everything indicates that the visual aesthetic will remain very close to that of the previous trilogies, with the same spectacular use of New Zealand's natural scenery.

Production Schedule: Where is the film now?

The project follows an already quite detailed production schedule. The announcement of the film and the involvement of Andy Serkis, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens began circulating between 2023 and 2024. Pre-production was planned for approximately six months, with significant preparation work starting in 2025, particularly on sets, technical teams, and scouting.

Andy Serkis is announced to be in New Zealand in autumn 2025 to supervise scouting and fully launch the preparation for filming. Principal photography is scheduled for mid-2026, with several months of shooting. Post-production (editing, special effects at Weta, music, mixing) will then occupy 2026 and 2027, until its release in December 2027.

This schedule explains the one-year delay in the release, which was initially planned for 2026, to ensure a technical and artistic level worthy of the franchise.

Fidelity to Tolkien: What is The Hunt for Gollum based on?

Unlike the previous trilogies, The Hunt for Gollum is not based on a single novel like The Hobbit, but on several sources from Tolkien's writings. The film draws from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, from certain scattered mentions concerning the hunt for Gollum, and from the official chronology of Middle-earth.

Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson have explained that they want to remain guided by Tolkien, developing moments they had not been able to show on screen before. The goal is not to reinvent the story, but to fill in the gaps surrounding Gollum while remaining consistent with The Fellowship of the Ring and the entire canon.

Why The Hunt for Gollum is a major event for fans and collectors

For a passionate fantasy audience and collectors of merchandise, The Hunt for Gollum has all the makings of a huge highlight. The return of Gollum with Andy Serkis, the presence of Gandalf and Frodo, the fidelity to Peter Jackson's visual style and universe, and the end-of-year release create a perfect context to rekindle enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings.

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