Warner Bros. has officially announced a new addition to the Lord of the Rings film franchise titled The Hunt for Gollum, which is scheduled to hit theaters on December 17, 2027. This upcoming installment brings back fan-favorite actor Andy Serkis, who will not only reprise his role as Gollum but also step behind the camera as the film’s director.
The creative team behind the original Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, are returning to produce the film. Walsh and Boyens are also handling the screenplay, ensuring continuity with the storytelling style that made the earlier films iconic.
First teased by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2024 with a tentative 2026 release window, The Hunt for Gollum was announced as part of a larger initiative to expand the Middle-earth cinematic universe. It follows the release of the anime film The War of the Rohirrim and Amazon’s ongoing The Rings of Power series, which is currently in production for its third season.
Warner Bros. has also confirmed that another Lord of the Rings film is in early development, though a director has not yet been attached.
In a somewhat controversial move, Warner Bros. recently issued a copyright takedown for a 15-year-old fan-made film titled The Hunt for Gollum, removing it from YouTube. This suggests the studio is carefully managing the branding around its new projects.
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world can mark their calendars for December 17, 2027, as they prepare to dive back into Middle-earth once again.
