Acclaimed filmmaker Peter Jackson is returning to Middle-earth to produce Warner Bros.’ new Lord of the Rings films. The first of these is targeting a 2026 debut.
“Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and revered franchises in history and presents a significant opportunity for our theatrical business,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaszlav said during WBD’s Q1 earnings call, per THR. He further teased that the new films will “explore storylines yet to be told” in the Lord of the Rings franchise.
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The first of the films will tentatively be titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Andy Serkis will star and also direct the movie. Jackson and longtime writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will be “involved every step of the way,” according to Zaslav, with Boyens and Walsh writing the script. The trio confirmed their involvement in a statement.
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker – Gollum!,” reads the joint statement from Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh. “As lifelong fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
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Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in the original films, added, “Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”
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“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,” Warner Bros. Discovery bosses Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca also stated. “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.”
The original movie trilogy from Jackson consisted of 2001’s The Fellowship of the Ring, 2002’s The Two Towers, and 2003’s The Return of the King. Jackson would later direct The Hobbit trilogy, including 2012’s An Unexpected Journey, 2013’s The Desolation of Smaug, and 2014’s The Battle of the Five Armies. It was also previously announced that an animated prequel, titled The War of the Rohirrim, is in the works from director Kenji Kamiyama.
Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is the working title for the film, is expected to be released in 2026. Meanwhile, extended and remastered versions of the original movie trilogy are coming to theaters this summer.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a series of epic fantasy adventure films and television series based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels. The films follow the adventures of humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits and more in Middle-earth.
- First Film
- The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
- Latest Film
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- First Episode Air Date
- September 1, 2022
- Cast
- Elijah Wood , Viggo Mortensen , Orlando Bloom , Sean Astin , Billy Boyd , Dominic Monaghan , Sean Bean , Ian McKellen , Andy Serkis , Hugo Weaving , Liv Tyler , Miranda Otto , Cate Blanchett , John Rhys-Davies , Martin Freeman , Morfydd Clark , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Richard Armitage
- Character(s)
- Gollum , Sauron
- Video Game(s)
- LEGO Lord of the Rings , Lord of the Rings Online , The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum , The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age , The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , The Lord of the Rings: War in the North , The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth , The Lord of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth 2 , The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Where to Stream
- Max , Prime Video , Hulu
