Ahead of the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, director and star Andy Serkis has responded to fan criticism over the casting of the film, which so far features only white actors. In an interview with the BBC, Serkis addressed the long-standing debate about diversity in adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, saying the issue would be handled "where relevant" rather than through box-ticking casting decisions.

Serkis, who plays Gollum via motion capture and directs the film, pointed to Tolkien's own influences, noting that the Shire reflects a distinctly homogenous, insular community drawn from Norse mythology. He acknowledged that criticism of the casting exists and said the film "somewhat" acknowledges it, but stressed he did not want to produce a "politically correct" version driven purely by box-ticking. The Hunt for Gollum, which follows Aragorn's search for Gollum before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, is due for release on 17 December 2027 from Warner Bros.