‘Lord of the Rings’ favorite teases his return in ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ and hints at a major reunion
Middle-earth may soon welcome back more familiar faces than fans expected. Andy Serkis’ upcoming ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ shapes up to be a full-fledged reunion of the legendary cast and crew behind Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning trilogy. Though Serkis is the only star officially confirmed to reprise his role as the twisted creature Gollum, new comments from Elijah Wood suggest that Frodo Baggins himself may soon return to the big screen. Appearing at DesertCon in Mexico over the weekend, Wood dropped some very telling hints about his involvement in the highly anticipated prequel.
As quoted by CBR, “Well, I can’t say anything about that,” he began carefully. “I know a great deal about it. I’ve read it. It’s really good. There are some wonderful people involved. The thing that is so exciting is that it is really getting the creative band back together. The brain trust behind 'Lord of the Rings,' Fran, Peter, Philippa, they are heavily involved.” Wood’s statement all but confirms that Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, the creative minds behind the original ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ trilogies, are deeply engaged in shaping the new film.
The actor went on to describe how ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ will maintain the spirit of the original series by reuniting many of the same behind-the-scenes talents. “And then, the same production designers. It is going to be shot in New Zealand,” Wood continued. “So, it is going to carry with it such continuity with so many people who are a part of 'Lord of the Rings,' and I am really excited about that. It feels like getting that old machine up and running again with all of the right people.”
While Wood didn’t explicitly confirm his return as Frodo, the fact that he’s read the script strongly implies that he may already be attached, or at least being considered, for a role in the story. Even a brief appearance or narration could provide the nostalgic link fans are hoping for. Rumors have already swirled that Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), and Orlando Bloom (Legolas) are in talks to reprise their iconic characters. The new film is set to explore the untold chapter of Gollum’s journey.
It focuses on the years between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ when Aragorn hunted the corrupted creature across Middle-earth at Gandalf’s request. Serkis will not only star as Gollum once again but also direct the film, marking his return to the world that helped redefine motion-capture performance two decades ago. As for how the returning cast might be de-aged to fit the timeline. According to CBM, Serkis has previously hinted that AI and cutting-edge VFX could play a major role in digitally rejuvenating the actors.
