Andy Serkis To Direct & Star In Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum, Will Release In 2026

Warner Bros. is heading back to Middle Earth, with Andy Serkis set to direct and star in Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum. Deadline reports that Serkis will reprise his role as Gollum and direct the new film, which is first of two new films in the franchise at the studio. The title is currently a working title for the movie.

Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou will write the script for the new film, which is set for a 2026 release. Peter Jackson will produce along with Walsh and Boyens. Ken Kamins, Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish will executive produce.

The Lord of the Rings franchise has grossed $5.926 billion worldwide from six installments, including the original three Lord of the Rings films and the Hobbit trilogy. Peter Jackson directed all six films, the last of which released in 2014.

“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision,” said Warner Bros. Motion Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy. We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history.”

Added Jackson, Walsh and Boyens: “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker – Gollum! As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”

Serkis said in the statement, “Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”.