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.
"I hear there's going to be another movie based in Middle-earth, and it's going to start filming in May. It's going to be directed by Gollum, and it's all about Gollum," he started (via Tik Tok), warming up the audience for the huge announcement he was about to drop.
"I'll tell you two secrets about the casting: there's a character in the movie called Frodo, and there's a character in the movie called Gandalf. Apart from that, my lips are sealed!" he revealed.
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.
