Andy Serkis reveals that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum might undergo a title change and teases the possibility of returning characters. The upcoming big screen return to Middle-earth will be produced by Lord of the Rings veteran Peter Jackson, along with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Walsh and Boyens will co-write the script with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. It will star and be directed by Andy Serkis, who originally played Gollum in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Little is known about the upcoming Hunt for Gollum at this time.

Speaking with The Pop Verse, Serkis reveals that the current title might be just a work-in-progress. He states that the movie is still in its early stages, but it will “very much be the world of Middle-earth according to Gollum’s experience of it.” Read the full quote below:

The Hunt for Gollum is a work-in-progress title. It may not end up being called that. It’s going to very much be the world of Middle-earth according to Gollum’s experience of it. It is so early; it would be unfair to commit to anything at this point. But I will say that it will be a deep dive where we investigate Gollum’s character. There may be characters that we recognize that might be coming back. I’m not going to say who.

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Which Characters Could Return In The Hunt For Gollum?

Gollum Is The Perfect Character To Explore

Since The Hunt for Gollum is still in its early stages, one can only speculate as to which characters could pop up, but some make more sense than others. Since the film will undoubtedly be set within Gollum’s lifespan, characters from the original trilogy like Frodo (Elijah Wood), Sam (Sean Astin), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) could appear. However, this would, on top of being a lukewarm artistic choice, be a challenge, as they would have to be de-aged for the film, since it’s been over twenty years since the original movies.

A more obvious and sensible choice for a returning character would be Gandalf (Ian McKellen), since the actor is in heavy makeup to begin with and since he has already returned to Middle-earth in The Hobbit. Bloom’s Legolas also reappeared in The Hobbit, but the actor’s growth since Fellowship of the Ring was noticeable. Another suitable choice would be the return of Martin Freeman as Bilbo. If The Hunt for Gollum takes place after The Hobbit, Freeman would fit right in.

Returning characters aside, Serkis’ Gollum is a prime choice and an interesting character to explore. As said by Serkis and Jackson, Gollum’s dichotomy of good and evil is a relatable and complex topic to discuss, since there’s a bit of good and evil in everybody. Gollum is a compelling character whose deep themes and complexity have stood the test of time, so the decision to make a spin-off based on him in The Hunt for Gollum is an interesting choice that’s ripe with opportunity.

Source: The Pop Verse