‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ adds Jamie Dornan and ‘Avatar’ star to an already stacked lineup
Middle-Earth's marquee characters are finally revealed in their entirety. Warner Bros. took CinemaCon by storm on Tuesday by naming several cast members for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum'.' Directed by Andy Serkis, one of the major names tapped was 'Fifty Shades of Grey' star Jamie Dornan. Other newcomers include Kate Winslet as Marigol and Leo Woodall as Halvard. Dornan plays Strider, later revealed to be Aragorn, in the original novel. The movie is set to release in December. 17, 2027.
In addition to directing the film, Serkis stars as Gollum/Smeagol; Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf; Elijah Wood returns as Frodo Baggins; and Lee Pace reprises his role as Thranduil. "Across two trilogies, a mark of a Middle-earth film has always been the formidable array of talent brought to bear in every role. The Hunt for Gollum continues in that tradition, and I am delighted to announce the return of two of Middle-earth’s most beloved performers, alongside some exceptionally talented new additions to Tolkien’s world," said Serkis in conversation with THR.
The events in 'The Hunt for Gollum' take place between 'The Hobbit' trilogy and 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, with Aragorn and Gandalf looking for Gollum to learn more about Bilbo’s ring, which turns out to be the One Ring that serves as a major threat to all of Middle-earth during the events of ' The Lord of the Rings'. The latest comes on the back of news of Stephen Colbert writing a second film alongside Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee. The new installment is titled 'The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past' and Colbert revealed his movie will borrow from the chapters of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' that didn't make the cut in the 2001 film.
The official logline reads, "Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began." In related news,' The Lord of the Rings' director Peter Jackson provided a quick update on Serkis' film. "Andy is doing a terrific job. It’s looking amazing," Jackson said of the upcoming film. "The script is coming together really well, and I think it’s going to be a really good film," he added.
