Lord of the Rings screenwriter confirms Hunt for Gollum won't be two movies and reveals "most of the ideas" for future films involve Gandalf

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Despite reports indicating that The Hunt for Gollum would be two movies, the producer has confirmed that this isn't the case – though another Lord of the Rings movie is in the works.

"I can tell you definitively it isn't two films!" Lord Of The Rings screenwriter Philippa Boyens told Empire. "That was a genuine misunderstanding that happened because we've begun to work, conceptually, on two different live-action films. The first being The Hunt For Gollum, the second one still to be confirmed."

Part of the reason the idea that Hunt for Gollum would be two movies spread is thanks to an interview with Gandalf himself, Sir Ian McKellan. "We're playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf," Boyens added. "So Gandalf would potentially return for two live-action films."

That's not the end of the potential LOTR expansion, either, with Boyens also teasing that more anime movies could happen if the upcoming War of the Rohirrim is a hit. "We have an absolute banger of a second film that would just be incredible as an anime," she said. "But let's see if there’s an appetite for it."

Of course, if you're wanting more Gandalf now, The Rings of Power season 2 has you covered. The mysterious Stranger was revealed to be the Istar in the season 2 finale. "I haven't yet, no. Gosh, having a chat with Ian would be a wonderful thing. I'd feel very honored to do that," Stranger actor Daniel Weyman told us of if he's reached out to McKellan. "All the people who have played the wizards on screen have been extraordinary."

While you wait for The Hunt for Gollum, check out our guide to all of this year's most exciting upcoming movie release dates to get planning your theater trips.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.