Andy Serkis returns as Gollum as new Middle-earth film begins
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Warner Bros. has officially started production on “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum”, unveiling first behind-the-scenes footage of Andy Serkis returning as Gollum. The news matters because it confirms that the next Middle-earth film is now actively in production and shows that the project is closely tied to the team behind the earlier “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films. It also underlines Serkis’s unusually central role, as he is both directing the film and reprising one of the franchise’s most recognisable characters.
The short teaser shows Serkis on set, looking through the script, then moving into Gollum’s familiar crouched, feral pose while wearing a motion-capture suit, before cutting to sweeping shots of New Zealand, where filming is under way. The film is scheduled for release in cinemas on 17 December 2027 and reunites Serkis with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Reported returning cast members include Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Lee Pace, while new additions named in the report include Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan, Leo Woodall and Anya Taylor-Joy.
- Filming has begun on “The Hunt for Gollum”.
- Andy Serkis returns as Gollum and directs the film.
- The new Middle-earth film is due on 17 December 2027.
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Middle-earth is the fictional world created by British writer J R R Tolkien, best known through The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The earlier film trilogies, directed by Peter Jackson, made the stories familiar to a worldwide audience and were filmed largely in New Zealand.
Gollum is a former Hobbit-like creature whose life was changed by possession of the One Ring, a powerful object at the centre of Tolkien’s story. Andy Serkis played him using motion-capture technology, which records an actor’s movements and expressions to create a digital character.
The new film is set within the wider history of Middle-earth and brings together several people involved in the earlier adaptations. It reflects Warner Bros.’ continuing effort to make new films from Tolkien’s world, whose characters and events span many different periods.
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Originally published by Variety as “‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ Starts Filming With First Set Footage of Andy Serkis Reviving Iconic Character”.