New Lord of the Rings Movie Just Got a Very Exciting Update

The DC Universe isn’t the only tentpole franchise Warner Bros. Discovery is leaning on to support its film slate. Fans may know that there’s a new Lord of the Rings film in development, titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. That project recently received a very exciting update courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. On the company’s latest earnings call, Zaslav shared that a script for the movie is now in place, raving about what’s in store. The executive didn’t say much beyond that, but promised there will be additional information in the near future.

“We’ve got a great script on Lord of the Rings with Peter Jackson that we’re moving forward on and we’ll be giving you more detail on that,” Zaslav said.

Directed by Gollum himself, Andy Serkis, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently scheduled for release in December 2027, positioned as WBD’s big holiday blockbuster. The film’s story is an interquel set during the events of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, chronicling Gandalf and Aragorn’s mission to locate Gollum after Gandalf discovers Bilbo was in possession of the One Ring. The Hunt for Gollum was initially set for a 2026 premiere but was delayed to give Serkis and crew ample time to tackle pre-production responsibilities.

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Serkis has said that The Hunt for Gollum should start production in New Zealand at some point early next year. Outside of Serkis also reprising his career-defining role as Gollum, no casting announcements have been made yet. The filmmakers are interested in bringing back Lord of the Rings stars Viggo Mortensen and Ian McKellen, but nothing has been confirmed on that front. Considering the ages of those actors, the circumstances would have to be just right for them to return.

Spinoffs of beloved franchises are always a tricky proposition. For each one that adds compelling depth to the source material (see: Star Wars: Andor), there are others that come across as superfluous and feel like a missed opportunity. The last time Middle-earth was on the big screen was arguably an example of the latter; the Hobbit trilogy earned mixed reviews and was not nearly as acclaimed as the original Lord of the Rings films. With that in mind, it’s encouraging Warner Bros. Discovery is high on The Hunt for Gollum‘s script. Obviously, Zaslav isn’t going to say anything negative about the project at this point in time, but his comments should be exciting for long-time fans. Extra time was taken to make sure the screenplay was in the right place, establishing a solid foundation for the film moving forward.

The Hobbit had a rather tumultuous development process, including a late-stage decision to have the series be three films instead of two. Things seem to be going differently on The Hunt for Gollum (and for the better). The filmmaking team has a good read on the specific story they want to tell, which should only help matters as the movie takes the next steps to the big screen. Lord of the Rings is an iconic franchise, and it would be a shame if the next film didn’t live up to its potential. Hopefully The Hunt for Gollum will be worth the wait.