Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

Andy Serkis’ Trilogy and Potential Returns

The road to more Lord of the Rings goes ever on and on! Earlier this summer, we found out the exciting news that Andy Serkis is set to kick off a planned new trilogy of big screen Middle-earth adventures at Warner Bros. with the self-explanatorily titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. And after a fallow few weeks with no further word on the new Rings project, last week Sir Ian McKellen – Gandalf the Grey (and occasionally White) himself – revealed that he has been approached to pick up his trusty pipe and hat once more. Now, Orlando Bloom has thrown his bow in the ring for a Legolas return in Serkis’ film, too.

Orlando Bloom’s Enthusiastic Response

During an interview with Variety whilst promoting his new boxing drama The Cut, the actor – who last played the elven archer in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies back in 2014 responded enthusiastically when asked if he’d be up for donning the pointy ears once more. “Oh, man, those things are amazing,” he said, referring to the Rings movies. “Yeah. I don’t know how they’d do it. I guess with AI you can do anything these days. But, if Pete [Peter Jackson] says jump, I say, ‘how high?’ I mean, he started my whole career.”

And whilst Bloom – who reflects on making Jackson’s movies as “a pretty magical time” in his life – is no more clued in than us on what Serkis and co are cooking up (“I really don’t know what they are planning,” he asserted), he did reveal – just somewhat eyebrow-raisingly – that the director has mentioned AI being involved in his plans.

AI-Free Script and Upcoming Releases

Thankfully, one area of The Hunt for Gollum that we do know will be AI-free is its script, as Rings OGs Fran Walsh and Philipa Boyens are working on the screenplay for this one alongside Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. How Legolas – or indeed Gandalf – may factor into this new film is anyone’s guess at this point. But with anime Middle-earth outing The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim headed our way this Christmas, things hotting up in The Rings of Power over at Prime Video, and The Hunt for Gollum currently circling a 2026 release, there’s plenty to keep us Tolkien heads busy while we wait to find out.

Conclusion

With the excitement of a new Lord of the Rings trilogy on the horizon, fans are eagerly anticipating the next installment of the beloved franchise. While there is still much to be revealed about the upcoming film, Orlando Bloom’s enthusiasm for his potential return has only added to the excitement. With AI-free scripting and the involvement of returning creators, The Hunt for Gollum is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the Middle-earth canon.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the title of the new Lord of the Rings film?

Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

• Who is involved in the scriptwriting process?

Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou

• Will AI be involved in the production of the film?

According to Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis has mentioned AI being involved in his plans

• What is the expected release date of the film?

Currently circling a 2026 release