CV NEWS FEED // Warner Bros has announced a new “Lord of the Rings” movie, titled “The Hunt for Gollum,” which will be directed by Andy Serkis and produced by Peter Jackson.
According to a report from Variety, “the project is currently in the early stages of script development from writers.” Warner Bros CEO David Zaslov told the outlet that the film will “explore storylines yet to be told.”
Studio leaders Mide De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a joint statement:
For over two decades, moviegoers have embraced the ‘Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision.
We are honored they have agreed to be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,’ we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ cinematic history.
Set to release in 2026, the film bears the same name as a fan-fiction movie that had previously been available on YouTube for 15 years, and garnered over 13 million views.
Warner Bros blocked the fan-produced film on copyright grounds the day it announced the official film’s release on May 9, prompting adverse reactions from Lord of the Rings fans.
Warner Bros initially revealed it would produce a series of new “Lord of the Rings” films in February 2023, according to Variety. The studio will also release an animated Middle-earth movie, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim,” on Dec. 13.
