Warner Bros. Sets Two New Lord of the Rings Films, Including Hunt for Gollum
Warner Bros. is expanding Middle-earth with two new films: The Hunt for Gollum, directed by Andy Serkis, and Shadow of the Past with Stephen Colbert involved.
Warner Bros. is expanding its Middle-earth slate with two new films set in the world of The Lord of the Rings. The first, The Hunt for Gollum, is being directed by Andy Serkis and is scheduled for release in December 2027.
A second film, Shadow of the Past, is also in development, with Stephen Colbert involved. Both projects are designed as companion pieces to The Fellowship of the Ring, the first installment of Peter Jackson's original trilogy.
The studio's ability to move forward with these films stems from its hold on adaptation rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books and The Hobbit. Those rights were up for renewal around 2023, and Warner Bros. retained them.
According to Screen Rant, the companion-piece approach may allow the new films to explore corners of the timeline that the original trilogy only touched on, such as the sizable time skip early in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Quick answers
When is The Hunt for Gollum coming out?
The Hunt for Gollum is set for release in December 2027.
Who is directing The Hunt for Gollum?
Andy Serkis is directing the film.
What other Lord of the Rings film is in development?
Shadow of the Past is in development, with Stephen Colbert involved.