Hunt for Gollum Writer Teases Lord of the Rings Spinoff's “Strong Psychological, Interior Story”
Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hunt for Gollum places the spotlight on the Hobbit corrupted by the seductive power of the One Ring. Andy Serkis returns as both director and star.
If any character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga warranted a deep dive into their psychological makeup, it's Gollum—a.k.a. Sméagol, a.k.a. the Hobbit corrupted by the dark and seductive power of the One Ring.
Fans of Middle-earth will get just that in Warner Bros.' upcoming spinoff movie, The Hunt for Gollum, with Andy Serkis both directing and reprising the motion capture role that made him a global super-star.
The Hunt for Gollum screenwriter teases Lord of the Rings spinoff project
“It’s an adventure story with a really strong psychological, interior story that’s going on as well,” the film's co-writer Philippa Boyens teased during a recent interview with Empire for the magazine's March 2026 issue. Boyens, of course, also helped pen Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as the director's tepidly received Hobbit trilogy (Jackson is a producer on The Hunt for Gollum).
“I was on the mo-cap stage, and I said to Andy, ‘Right, assume the position,'" the screenwriter continued. "I cannot believe how fit that guy is as he clambered up the structure. It’s ridiculous. I’m like, ‘Can you start aging?’”
Given the fact that Gollum hurled himself into the broiling fires of Mount Doom to be with his beloved "Precious" in Return of the King, The Hunt for Gollum actually serves as a prequel, taking place between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. In addition, it may or may not feature appearances from Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen as Frodo and Gandalf, respectively.
Andy Serkis on returning to the role of Gollum for new movie
"Revisiting a character that has never really left me, and this time stepping into the directorial shoes of the man who created these important movies that have affected so many people’s lives over the course of the last quarter of a century," Serkis wrote in a piece for Empire. "We have a very specific task ahead of us. A return to Middle-earth, that satisfies the passion and the love that generations of Lord of the Rings fans have for these stories, whilst also presenting something completely fresh and new for first-timers to Middle-earth, with one of Tolkien’s richest and most complex characters at its heart."
When will The Hunt for Gollum be released?
Per IMDb, The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a wide theatrical release on Dec. 17, 2027.
Warner Bros. may end up shifting the project's debut so as not to compete with Avengers: Secret Wars.
