Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (2027) (1 Viewer)

[Jake Lipson]

As for another new film from the Jackson/Boyens/Walsh camp, I fear that ship has sailed...

What do you mean? This literally is from that team. Jackson is producing. Boyens and Welsh are writing. The fact that they are getting Serkis of all people to direct a film with Gollum literally in the title makes explicitly clear to me that this will be directly connected to the continuity established by Jackson's previous films.

 

[TravisR]

What do you mean? This literally is from that team. Jackson is producing. Boyens and Welsh are writing. The fact that they are getting Serkis of all people to direct a film with Gollum literally in the title makes explicitly clear to me that this will be directly connected to the continuity established by Jackson's previous films.

The connections to the previous films is why I will see this but I can't help but wish that the audience (and thus the industry) could go back to accepting that some stories end. They don't all need to run forever with more movies or six episode TV series about every detail mentioned in the original movies.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I love the Lord Of The Rings trilogy and even The Hobit as well. But come on sometimes I just wonder why Hollywood is so set on ether adding to the previous movies or doing total rebots. Is there really a need for this movie honestly? The question is will it add anything to the story or just be another excuse to milk more money from the franchise? I guess I just want to see some new original well done stories. Now there is some room for taking some older movies that maybe where not done that great first time around or ones that can just use a fresh take like Logans Run. But I am leaning more towards new stories being seen in movie form. There are so many scripts and books in existence that it is hard to accept that there is not the next big block buster or story out there that could make a great film. Even movies made from true life events could be the next great movie. But getting back to a new Lord Of The Rings movie which again I love the franchise and getting more store might end up being a good thing but I am totally ok with what we have already. Time will tell if this project ends up being a success or not.

"No! Not! Never! Sméagol hates nasty hobbitses!

We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!

 

[Jake Lipson]

I can't help but wish that the audience (and thus the industry) could go back to accepting that some stories end.

I agree wholly with your sentiment and have said something similar to other friends today in regards to this. But I would reverse the order in your original statement. This feels very much like a project that WB is making because they want to continue to use the IP. If any audience members have been asking for a Gollum prequel movie, I don't know who they are.

But come on sometimes I just wonder why Hollywood is so set on ether adding to the previous movies or doing total rebots

We all know why. New entries in established successful series bring with them built-in awareness and fan bases that will make them easier to sell to potential moviegoers.

The highest-grossing domestic movie of 2023 that was not based on anything at all that previously existed is Elemental with $154 million. It ranked #17 for the year. You can make the argument that Pixar is the brand for Elemental and you wouldn't be entirely wrong. But it was a new property and was considered to be a relatively low result for a Pixar film. (And yes, I know Oppenheimer was a huge success for a film of its type, but it is based on history. I'm talking about brand new stories for which the writers made something up completely out of their heads.)

It will have been 12 years between the opening of The Battle of the Five Armies and The Search For Gollum. WB is clearly hoping the return of the franchise will be a major event and bring people out in significant numbers. Frankly, I don't have the foggiest idea if they're right or not. But I can see why they would want to make this.

In fairness to Andy Serkis and the filmmakers, it is always possible that the movie could be good. War For the Planet of the Apes provided satisfying closure to a trilogy in which Andy Serkis was the lead. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is in theaters now even though a lot of people were skeptical about whether another one should be made. And Kingdom turned out to be really good. So, you never know. I think there is plenty of reason to be skeptical of a Gollum movie. I'm sure Serkis knows that as well. But there is also the possibility that we might be using this thread in a couple of years to talk about how great it is. I certainly hope that will be the case.

For a film that will obviously use a lot of motion capture and CG and require a lot of post-production work, I wonder how it will get done in 2026. Even if they go with a release date in December 2026 like the previous films, that doesn't give them a lot of time. Plus, Andy Serkis is also still obligated to film The Batman Part II as Alfred, which is also a 2026 release. Of course, that's also a WB film, so I'm sure the studio will play nice with itself. But Serkis is going to be a very busy guy. Good luck to him.

 

[Alex...]

...... ..... .. .... ....?!!??!!

 

[Mark-P]

What do you mean? This literally is from that team. Jackson is producing. Boyens and Welsh are writing. The fact that they are getting Serkis of all people to direct a film with Gollum literally in the title makes explicitly clear to me that this will be directly connected to the continuity established by Jackson's previous films.

Which is exactly what I’m talking about. They wore out their welcome with the Hobbit Trilogy and going back to that well one more time is going to be a disaster. Lord of the Rings is over. It’s time for them to move on.

 

[Sam Favate]

I notice the title has a *WT after it, which I assume means “working title.”

As for making more movies, I guess it makes sense if you’re a company that spent a lot of money for the property to keep going as long as you can. Or if you own the property, you could imagine shareholders saying “why do we own this property that isn’t making us any money?” But yes, it’s more satisfying for the audience when stories actually end.

 

[SD_Brian]

I can't help but wish that the audience (and thus the industry) could go back to accepting that some stories end.

And, in the case of Lord of the Rings, they end five or six times before the credits finally roll!

 

[JimJasper]

Yeah, I'm not really interested in more Gollum. He's the Jar-Jar Binks of LOTR, IMO. Hated every time he was on-screen.

Wow, I'm relieved someone else said this: DITTO. As well as BobO'Link 's post #9 above.

 

[richardburton84]

I recently started giving the BBC serial of LOTR another listen today and found it followed its prologue with a scene representing Gollum’s capture and torture by Sauron’s forces. If this film depicts Gandalf’s search for Gollum during the early events of Fellowship as I suspected earlier in this thread, I wonder if it might possibly contain a similar scene to the one in the BBC serial.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

Coming soon: LEGO Barad-dûr

The accuracy depicted in the photos is astounding, particularly the shot of a fully-grown adult man playing with it. Spot on, I say.

 

[BobO'Link]

Coming soon: LEGO Barad-dûr

The accuracy depicted in the photos is astounding, particularly the shot of a fully-grown adult man playing with it. Spot on, I say.

That's a very cool looking set. I don't know that it's $460 worth of cool... but...

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Yeah, I'm not really interested in more Gollum. He's the Jar-Jar Binks of LOTR, IMO. Hated every time he was on-screen.

Well this is the HUNT for Gollum, which implies that he won't really be in it.

 

[Desslar]

Well this is the HUNT for Gollum, which implies that he won't really be in it.

But... The Red October appears a lot in The Hunt for Red October.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Of course Gollum will be in it. Why would they get Andy Serkis of all people to direct a movie with Gollum in the title if Gollum isn't going to be in it very much? I fully expect it to be a showcase for Gollum's character.

Also, Deadline posted an interview with the creative team. I don't think it was ever unclear, but this makes perfectly clear that this is a Gollum story.

Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain Why They’re Returning To Middle-Earth For ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ 23 Years After Cannes Saved The Billion-Dollar Franchise

Why Return To Middle-Earth For 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum? Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain

deadline.com

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Of course Gollum will be in it. Why would they get Andy Serkis of all people to direct a movie with Gollum in the title if Gollum isn't going to be in it very much? I fully expect it to be a showcase for Gollum's character.

Also, Deadline posted an interview with the creative team. I don't think it was ever unclear, but this makes perfectly clear that this is a Gollum story.

Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain Why They’re Returning To Middle-Earth For ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ 23 Years After Cannes Saved The Billion-Dollar Franchise

Why Return To Middle-Earth For 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum? Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain

deadline.com

I was just being silly. If you're hunting for something then it's lost and gone.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

Well, we do have The Search for Spock, directed by Spock himself, and it actually had quite a lot of Spock in it... albeit in younger forms. So not much of Leonard Nimoy.

"It is Doctor Marcus' opinion that this is... That the Genesis effect has in some way regenerated... Captain Spock."

Anyway, I hear if this Hunt for Gollum movie, if successful, will kick off a whole much of not-asked-for movies. So, I guess, eventually we'll get things like The Lembas, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, The Fast and the Fellowship, The Devil Wears Elven Cloaks, Frodo Baggins' Day Off, Evenstar All Along... the list goes on.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I was just being silly. If you're hunting for something then it's lost and gone.

Sometimes, sarcasm doesn't come through quite the same in print. In my head, I read your earlier post sincerely. Something lost by having online conversations instead of in-person ones.

Anyway...moving on...

 

[Malcolm R]

Story at Deadline about Jackson and others' thoughts on the new films and their motivations.

Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain Why They’re Returning To Middle-Earth For ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ 23 Years After Cannes Saved The Billion-Dollar Franchise

Why Return To Middle-Earth For 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum? Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis & Philippa Boyens Explain

deadline.com

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Well, we do have The Search for Spock, directed by Spock himself, and it actually had quite a lot of Spock in it... albeit in younger forms. So not much of Leonard Nimoy.

"It is Doctor Marcus' opinion that this is... That the Genesis effect has in some way regenerated... Captain Spock."

Anyway, I hear if this Hunt for Gollum movie, if successful, will kick off a whole much of not-asked-for movies. So, I guess, eventually we'll get things like The Lembas, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, The Fast and the Fellowship, The Devil Wears Elven Cloaks, Frodo Baggins' Day Off, Evenstar All Along... the list goes on.

Can we please get a Tom Bombadil movie?