Peter Jackson, the original filmmaker behind “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, along with his collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, is producing the upcoming movie and "will be involved every step of the way," as stated by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav during an earnings call on Thursday.
The project is currently in the early stages of script development, with writers Walsh and Boyens collaborating with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Zaslav noted that the film will "explore storylines yet to be told."
In a press release issued by Warner Bros. later Thursday morning, the studio announced that the working title for the film is “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” which will be directed by and star Andy Serkis in his iconic role. The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, alongside Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish from The Imaginarium.
Warner Bros. first disclosed in February 2023 that newly appointed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy had secured a deal to produce “multiple” films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved works. These projects will be developed under WB's New Line Cinema label. Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, acquired the adaptation rights for “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” as part of a venture called Middle-earth Enterprises.
Read also: Where did Gandalf Live? This Moment in "The Lord of the Rings" overlooked by many
Additionally, a separate animated Middle-earth film titled “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is set to be released on December 13, directed by Kenji Kamiyama. This film will take place 200 years before the events of “The Hobbit.”
“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,” De Luca and Abdy said in a statement Thursday. “We are honored they have agreed 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.”
Jackson, Walsh and Boyens stated: “It is an honour 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! As life long 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!”
“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…” : Serkis added.
The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, earned nearly $3 billion globally, and Jackson’s subsequent trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” achieved similar success.
The first trilogy featured notable performances from Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, and Cate Blanchett. The three films received 30 Academy Award nominations and won 17 Oscars, including Best Picture for 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
