Lord of the Rings stars: “The Gentlemen” and “The Hunt for Gollum” close to release
Filming has begun on the third season of Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” and with it, numerous new cast members have been announced. Guy Ritchie’s action-comedy-crime-drama, starring Theo James, boasts a number of familiar faces, including two members of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Netflix has announced that Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom have joined the cast of the third season. Wood and Bloom are best known for their roles as Frodo Baggins and Legolas, respectively, in Peter Jackson’s extensive “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Both also reprised their roles in the “Hobbit” films, though in different installments, meaning they did not appear on screen together. “The Gentlemen” marks their first collaboration since the conclusion of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy with “The Return of the King” in 2003.
Another prominent new addition to the cast of the third season is Robert Carlyle. The Scottish actor is probably best known for his role in Trainspotting, but has also appeared in popular television series such as Once Upon a Time and Stargate: Universe. The second season of The Gentlemen aired in September, which means that viewers will have to wait a while for the third season. There was a two-year gap between the first two seasons, so the series is not expected to return until 2028.
Which Lord of the Rings actors return in “The Hunt for Gollum”?
Warner Bros. has confirmed that a Lord of the Rings spin-off film titled The Hunt for Gollum is in production. Andy Serkis will direct and reprise his role as Gollum. The story revolves around Aragorn’s quest to capture Gollum and obtain information about the One Ring.
Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood will reprise their roles as wizard Gandalf and hobbit Frodo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.” Aragorn, on the other hand, will be portrayed by Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey), who succeeds Viggo Mortensen. The rest of the cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Winslet, and Leo Woodall. Warner Bros. confirmed the cast of the new “Lord of the Rings” film at CinemaCon 2026 and unveiled a poster prominently featuring Gollum.
The film, scheduled for release in 2027, will bring back Lee Pace as the Elvenking Thranduil. Kate Winslet has already been confirmed as the lead actress; she will play Marigol. Serkis will also return, portraying both Gollum and Smeagol in the project. “The Hunt for Gollum” will be the first live-action adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books since “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” in 2014.
Two new actors have also been confirmed for the “Lord of the Rings” film series: Jamie Dornan will play the young Strider (aka Aragorn) and Leo Woodall will portray Halvard. Woodall had previously been considered for the role of Aragorn, replacing Viggo Mortensen.
With his portrayal of the ring-obsessed Gollum in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Serkis set new standards for motion-capture performances. The actor also utilized these skills in Jackson’s version of “King Kong” (2005) and the “Planet of the Apes” reboot, released in 2011. Furthermore, he directed “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” employing his extensive CGI knowledge in both films.
The hunt for Gollum between Bilbo’s 111th birthday and Gandalf’s return to the Shire
The hunt for Gollum is expected to cover the period between Bilbo’s 111th birthday and Gandalf’s return to the Shire, a timeline explored in the early chapters of Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring” but cut from the 2001 film. Gandalf tasked Aragorn with tracking down Gollum to discover the origin of Bilbo’s ring and whether it was indeed the One Ring Sauron sought.
Serkis and screenwriters Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou face the task of crafting an entertaining film from a few pages of text that depict what was likely a rather bleak experience for all involved. They will probably draw inspiration from “The Hunt for the Ring,” a chapter from Tolkien’s “Unfinished Tales,” his posthumously published work edited by his son Christopher, which recounts the Nazgûl’s journey to free Gollum from Mordor.
Warner Bros. Discovery is also working on another live-action Lord of the Rings film project, tentatively titled Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past. Filming for the third season of the Prime Video prequel series Lord of the Rings has wrapped, but a release date has not yet been set.
The film is scheduled for release on December 17, 2027. Before that, Tolkien fans can watch the next season of Amazon’s “The Rings of Power” in just a few weeks, on November 11. Currently, the film is planned to premiere simultaneously with Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Secret Wars.” However, Warner Bros. and Marvel may be hoping for a similar double-header to the one later this year featuring “Dune: Part 3” and “Avengers: Doomsday.”
