Overview

• Sir Ian McKellen announced at a London fan event that both Gandalf and Frodo will appear in the Gollum-centric prequel.
• Andy Serkis is directing and reprising his motion-capture role as Gollum in a story set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
• Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens are producing and writing the film to ensure creative continuity with the original trilogy.
• Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has identified The Hunt for Gollum as a top franchise priority and confirmed it’s the first of multiple new Middle-earth films.
• The project is in active pre-production with cameras scheduled to roll in May 2026 for a global theatrical release on December 17, 2027.