The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Delayed (but There’s Good News)

Andy Serkis is set to return to Middle-earth by directing and starring in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, but fans are going to have to wait a bit longer to see it. Initially, the plan was for the movie to release in 2026, but that is no longer the case. In an interview with The Direct, Serkis provided an update on the project, revealing that the new target release window is 2027. He shared that The Hunt for Gollum is still in the earliest stages of development, as there are months of prep work left to do before production can start.

“Yeah, it is not 2026. It was originally going to be December 2026. It is going to be December 2027,” Serkis said. “We are right at the beginning of the writing process. We will be prepping later this year. Prep takes a good chunk of time, six or seven months, and then we will be shooting next year. So, it backs into that December 2027 release date.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum was first announced in May 2024. Plot details are largely being kept under wraps, but it’s expected the film will depict Gandalf’s investigation into the One Ring after he leaves Bilbo’s birthday party in The Fellowship of the Ring. The producers are hoping Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen reprise their roles from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but other than Serkis, no cast members have been officially confirmed.

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As Warner Bros. looks to expand its franchise output, it sounds like The Hunt for Gollum won’t be a one-off. Philippa Boyens, who is co-writing and producing The Hunt for Gollum, has shared there is another live-action Lord of the Rings movie being developed. Details about that mystery second film are being kept under wraps, but Boyens noted that Gandalf is a character featured in many of the ideas being discussed.

Given the creative team in place, The Hunt for Gollum has the potential to be an interesting spinoff that complements the acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy. Though some fans might be frustrated that they’ll have to wait longer than originally expected for the film’s release, taking the extra time to get it right should benefit the project. Serkis is acutely aware of how significant the franchise is to so many people and wants to ensure The Hunt for Gollum is a worthy addition to the series. Especially since WB is interested in producing more Lord of the Rings films after this, it’s important that The Hunt for Gollum is well-received critically and commercially. Rushing it would run the risk of it suffering the same fate as the Hobbit trilogy.

Serkis also has another high-profile commitment on the horizon, as he’s set to return as Alfred Pennyworth in Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II. That film has endured its own string of delays, and now production is slated to begin at the end of the year. Even if The Hunt for Gollum had a finished script in place, things would probably have to get moved around to accommodate Serkis’ role in the Batman sequel. With the way things are now, it seems like he’ll be able to handle Hunt for Gollum pre-production responsibilities before shifting gears to The Batman Part II later this year. After that, he’ll be rolling cameras on his return to Middle-earth.