Peter Jackson’s Forgotten Gollum Film Resurfaces as New Spin-Off Nears
Peter Jackson once considered a Lord of the Rings film focused on Aragorn and Gandalf’s hunt for Gollum—an idea now echoing in the upcoming spin-off, The Hunt for Gollum.
As anticipation builds for The Hunt for Gollum, the next chapter in the Lord of the Rings universe, a curious bit of history has come to light. Nearly a quarter of a century ago, Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens mulled over a film concept that, at the time, seemed destined never to see the light of day. Their musings centred on a narrative thread left largely unexplored in the original trilogy: the pursuit of Gollum by Aragorn and Gandalf.
Jackson’s reflections, captured in the extended edition commentary for The Fellowship of the Ring, reveal a certain wistfulness about the stories that never made it to the big screen. He remarked,
"There's great stuff in the book that we just couldn't put into the movie, and I've just always loved that when Gandalf leaves Baggins he goes and joins up with Aragorn, and the two of them hunt Gollum down,"
before adding,
"We've got this little remnant, which is Gollum being tortured, but we could never obviously do the bit where Aragorn and Gandalf track Gollum down. It's a neat idea, it would've been great to squeeze it in the film somehow."
Unseen Tales and Unfinished Business
Boyens, too, seemed to have a soft spot for the untold adventures lurking in Tolkien’s appendices. She pointed out that the reunion between Legolas and Aragorn in the films hints at a shared past, alluding to their involvement in the Gollum affair.
"They know each other, because of the Gollum story,"
she noted, suggesting that the films only scratched the surface of these characters’ intertwined histories.
Other side stories, such as Saruman’s own quest for the Ring, were also floated as tantalising possibilities. Boyens mused that perhaps, one day, these threads might be woven into the cinematic tapestry. For now, though, it’s the hunt for Gollum that’s stepping into the spotlight, promising to fill in some of the gaps left by the original trilogy.
Returning to Middle-earth
The forthcoming film, set for release in December 2027, will see familiar faces return to Middle-earth. Andy Serkis, who will both direct and reprise his role as Sméagol, is joined by Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood. However, the role of Aragorn will be recast to better fit the prequel timeline, a move confirmed by Warner Bros.
Serkis, speaking to Empire magazine, described the project as both daunting and exhilarating.
"It is a phenomenal challenge, exciting and of course terrifying at the same time,"
he admitted.
"We have a very specific task ahead of us. A return to Middle-earth that satisfies the passion and the love that generations of Lord of the Rings fans have for these stories, whilst also presenting something completely fresh and new for first-timers to Middle-earth, with one of Tolkien's richest and most complex characters at its heart."
From Appendix to Screen
The Hunt for Gollum appears poised to do what Jackson and Boyens once only dreamed of: delve into the lesser-known corners of Tolkien’s world, drawing from the appendices to craft a story that bridges the familiar and the unexplored. With the creative team’s reverence for the source material and a willingness to take risks, the project stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of Middle-earth’s untold tales.