Peter Jacksonmakes another return to Middle-earth with the upcomingThe Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.More than a decade after completingThe Hobbittrilogy, which itself came a decade after his groundbreaking work on hisLord of the Ringstrilogy, Jackson is set to produce the new film, which will shift its focus to one of the most iconic, but least explored characters, Gollum.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Hunt for Gollumis the first in a new expansion of the franchise from Warner Bros, and as well as the return of Jackson and writer Philippa Boyens to the franchise, Andy Serkis, whose career soared following his portrayal of Gollum/Smeagol in the originalRingstrilogy, is also back – this time as director. When it came to deciding whether to revisit the franchise, and choosing the subject of the movie, there was never any other option for Jackson. He toldDeadline:
“The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic. I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there’s a little bit of both of them in all of us. We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films.”
It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien.
“Andy [Serkis] was a joy to work with directing Second Unit on The Hobbit . He has the energy and imagination and, most importantly, an inherent understanding of the world of the story that is needed to step back into Middle-earth.”
The Hunt for Gollum is Like a Movie Appendix
Peter Jackson’s choice to focus on Gollum rather than other popular characters from the story, such as Gandalf or Aragorn, is one that speaks volumes about how this story will be approached. While there are several gaps in the timeline of the movies, when things happen that are hinted at or briefly brushed over,The Hunt For Gollumis one that can focus on the wretched Hobbit, but also incorporate some of the other characters known and loved by fans – a best of both worlds.
Originating from Tolkien’s Appendices toThe Lord of The Rings, which detail where specific events take place in the timeline of Middle Earth, the story of Aragorn’s search for Gollum is one that slips into the story near the beginning of the tale. While it is currently unclear which other characters will appear in the movie, Jackson has made it clear that Gollum’s path will bring him into contact with others from the story. It is possible that the story will also expand on Gollum’s capture and torture by the Orcs of Sauron, which is seen in one blink-and-you-miss-it scene inThe Fellowship of the Ring.
The world of Middle Earth is an almost guaranteed money-spinner, and Warner Bros. decision to continue their work within the IP is not surprising. While Amazon Prime Video is preparing to unveilthe second season ofThe Rings of Powerlater this year, there is clearly room for more than oneLord of the Ringsstory in town. If David Zaslav’s words are true, thenThe Hunt for Gollumis likely to be one of many more LOTR projects heading into development in the coming years.
