Lord of the Rings veteran Lawrence Makoare is back for The Hunt for Gollum

Here we go again, back to Middle-earth with a film that genuinely no one had on their bingo card five years ago: The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. If you thought the Tolkien well had run dry, think again, because not only is Andy Serkis back putting on the digital pyjamas to play Gollum — he's also directing this thing. That's right: Gollum, behind the camera.

Returning Faces and New Blood

The story for this one is slotted right into the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, just before the now-legendary Mines of Moria fiasco. It's not a retread — we're getting a new batch of characters this time, including big names like Kate Winslet, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Leo Woodall. Odd twist: Jamie Dornan is suiting up as Strider — yes, that's Aragorn, the very same tough bloke Viggo Mortensen made iconic. No pressure there at all.

A few old guard are dropping in, too. Elijah Wood is once more Frodo. Ian McKellen is still wizarding as Gandalf. Lee Pace brings back Thranduil (this time with what I assume is even more shiny hair than before). In short: mixture of old and new, and that’s before you even get to the latest return.

Lawrence Makoare's Comeback

Here's a bit that only proper fans will clock straight away: Lawrence Makoare is making a return. He announced on Instagram he’s involved in The Hunt for Gollum, apologising for skipping the Armageddon Expo in Auckland because, in his own words:

I’ll be in Wellywood this wknd finishing my bit on HFG!

Makoare is proper franchise furniture by now. Played at least three major nasties in the Jackson films — Uruk-hai Lurtz, the Witch-King of Angmar, that unforgettable orc Gothmog, and Bolg in The Hobbit. Who he’s playing this time? No idea yet — keep your money on some Orc leader or dramatic villain, because they don’t bring him back for background Hobbit number four.

Filming, Dates, and That Post-Production Crawl

If you’re thinking this sounds very early days, it's not. Cameras have been rolling since July 2026 in Wellington, New Zealand (of course — where else?). Deadline reckons shooting won’t finish until October 2026. Makoare saying he’s nearly done puts us right near the wrap — at least for the principal cast. After that, brace yourself for the long, slow march through post-production, because apparently that's what you need when you’re turning actors into goblins for the hundredth time.

The Hunt for Gollum is expected to hit UK cinemas on 17 December 2027.

Mark that date — not that you'll get much space in the multiplex. It's going head-to-head with Avengers: Secret Wars and The Housemaid's Secret. Not exactly a quiet slot, but clearly someone at Warner Bros. thinks the name is enough to draw out the fans.

What Happened to That Other Rings Film?

This new film isn't the only thing Warner Bros. had planned. There was another project, The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, with an eyebrow-raising writing team: Stephen Colbert, his son Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens (who wrote on the original films). That one was supposed to adapt six chapters from Fellowship that Peter Jackson decided to leave on the cutting room floor.

Only problem: after Skydance bought up Warner Bros., Shadow of the Past is now apparently on pause. And, as with all these franchises, the future of it probably depends on whether The Hunt for Gollum actually lands with fans — and brings in the sort of box office Middle-earth used to. If Gollum bombs, Colbert’s script will gather dust.

• The Hunt for Gollum was one of two Lord of the Rings films in active development; the second, Shadow of the Past, is now on hold pending box office results.