The Hunt for Gollum faces one-year delay, Andy Serkis confirms
Fans eagerly awaiting The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will have to wait even longer. Andy Serkis, the film’s director and star, has confirmed that the highly anticipated spin-off will now hit cinemas in December 2027, a full year later than originally planned.
Speaking at Fan Expo Vancouver 2025, Serkis addressed the delay, explaining that the project remains in its early stages. “Yeah, it is not 2026. It was originally going to be December 2026. It is going to be December 2027,” he revealed. “We are right at the beginning of the writing process. We will be prepping later this year. Prep takes a good chunk of time, six or seven months, and then we will be shooting next year. So, it backs into that December 2027 release date.”
The film, set during the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, follows Aragorn as he hunts for Gollum to prevent him from revealing the One Ring’s secret to Sauron. While Aragorn and Gandalf will play crucial roles, it remains unclear whether Viggo Mortensen and Ian McKellen will return to reprise their iconic characters.
McKellen, now 85, has expressed interest but warned that the production must move quickly if they want him involved. Meanwhile, the filmmakers have actively pursued Mortensen’s return. Co-writer Philippa Boyens admitted that they cannot imagine anyone else playing Aragorn but acknowledged that the decision rests entirely with the actor. “I’ve spoken to Viggo, Andy has spoken to him, Peter Jackson has spoken to him, we’ve all spoken to each other,” she shared. “Honestly, I cannot imagine anyone else playing Aragorn, but it will be completely and entirely up to Viggo.”
If Mortensen agrees to return, digital de-aging techniques may be required to align his appearance with The Fellowship of the Ring timeline. However, Boyens emphasised that they will not rely on artificial intelligence to recreate his younger self. “This is about digital make-up,” she clarified. “And whether Viggo does it will entirely depend on how good the script is. He doesn’t have a script yet, so let’s see if we write a good enough role.”
With production yet to begin, The Hunt for Gollum still holds many unanswered questions. But one thing is clear—fans will have to wait until December 2027 to see Middle-earth’s return to the big screen.
