Gandalf and Frodo are returning in the new Lord of the Rings film according to Ian McKellen: "Apart from that, my lips are sealed!"

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The upcoming The Hunt for Gollum is bringing back some iconic characters

Ian McKellen as Gandalf the White in Lord of the Rings
(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Big news for fans of the Middle-earth – according to Ian McKellen, Gandalf and Frodo are returning for the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The legendary actor dropped the unexpected news over the weekend, and now we can't wait to see these iconic characters returning on the big screen over a decade after The Hobbit trilogy.

At the For the Love of Fantasy fan event in London yesterday, McKellen reunited with former co-stars Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, and John Rhys-Davies, and teased the new film directed by Andy Serkis.

Although we would never dare to doubt Sir Ian McKellen's words, Warner Bros has yet to confirm this announcement. Also, the actor said the characters are returning, but didn't specify if Elijah Wood and he would be reprising their roles – even if, of course, we expect and want them to.

For now, the only official cast member is Serkis, who is reprising his role as Gollum. Other Lord of the Rings actors like Viggo Mortensen would also be open to a comeback, but we'll have to wait to see if they are called back for the new film.

Little is known about The Hunt for Gollum so far, other than it follows Smeagol in the gaps between Frodo leaving The Shire and the Fellowship arriving at the Mines of Moria.

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, who is producing the new movie, teased to Deadline: "We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films. It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien."

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set for release on December 17, 2027, with more Lord of the Rings films planned. For more, check out our guide to all upcoming movies and movie release dates.

Mireia Mullor
Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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