Overview

• Warner Bros announced 'The Hunt for Gollum,' a new Lord of the Rings film set for 2026, directed and starring Andy Serkis.
• The studio swiftly issued a copyright claim against a 2009 fan-made film of the same name, leading to its removal from YouTube.
• The fan film, which had been viewed over 13 million times, was widely appreciated by the Lord of the Rings community.
• Critics and fans express frustration over the studio's approach, labeling it as excessive and harmful to fan culture.
• The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between intellectual property rights and fan-created content.