Here is the news that all Tolkien lovers were waiting for! Warner Bros. has announced the release of the first film of the new saga set in the world of The Lord of the Rings, whose release scheduled for 2026. We also have the provisional title“The Lord of the Rings – The Hunt for Gollum” and it makes it clear to us right from the start that it will feature the famous creature played by Andy Serkis as the protagonist. Not only will he reprise his iconic role, but this time he will also direct.
A “Back to the Future”, if we consider that this is a TV seriesThe Rings of Powerby Amazon Pime Video began to explore the events of the Second Age. But everything seems promising, also because in the production we will find the golden trio of the original trilogy. Here is the statement by David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, released during a conference call on company earnings
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will be involved in every stage of the project
The film, whose screenplay is currently in development, will be written by Walsh and Boyens together with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, and although the provisional title gives a clear indication, it will apparently explore as yet unpublished narrative threads.
US newspapers, like Variety And HollywoodReporters, report that Warner Bros has issued a press release in which further details on the production system of this new project are revealed. As anticipated at the beginning, the direction will be entrusted to Andy Serkiswhich at the same time reprising the role of Gollum. Ken Kamins will executive produce, while The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish will executive produce alongside Serkis.
Warner Bros. had announced in February 2023 its intention to make “multiple films” based on the beloved universe created by JRR Tolkien, and this further confirmation dispels any doubts. We also know that the projects will be developed by New Line Cinema, Warner Bros’ label . The adaptation rights for “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” have been acquired by Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, via Middle-earth Enterprises.
The press release contains statements from De Luca and Abdy, two executives of Warner Bros, and confirms that there are at least two films coming soon! Here is an excerpt, as published by Variety.
“For over twenty years, moviegoers have loved the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy thanks to the undeniable devotion that Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown in protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s work and allowing audiences to experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision. We are honored that they have agreed to be our partners on these two new films. With Andy directing ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt of Gollum,’ we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to move forward and further contribute to the cinematic history of ‘The Lord of the Rings’.”
It is worth mentioning that the original trilogy deThe Lord of the Ringsdirected by Jackson it grossed nearly $3 billion worldwideand also the subsequent trilogy based on The Hobbitof Tolkien achieved similar grosses. The three films were nominated for 30 Oscars and took home 17, including best film of 2003 for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
