Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have officially set a release date for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, planning to bring Sméagol's tale to audiences on December 17, 2027. This announcement positions the film's debut more than two years away, marking a delay of at least one year from the previously announced 2026 plan. Despite the wait, fantasy enthusiasts are already eager to mark their calendars for a memorable Christmas in 2027.

Helming the project is Andy Serkis, renowned for his directorial work on Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. Serkis, who is also celebrated for his performances as Caesar in the 2010 Planet of the Apes trilogy and as Gollum in both the The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies, will bring his deep understanding of the character to the director's chair as well as reprise his iconic role in front of the camera.

Serkis's intimate knowledge of Gollum's psyche will be complemented by a team of Middle-earth veterans. The film's producers include Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Zane Weiner, with the screenplay crafted by Walsh, Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou. Peter Jackson has provided some insights into the storyline, hinting that the film will explore beloved characters' pasts and delve into aspects of Gollum's journey that were not covered in earlier films.

"We really want to explore \[Gollum’s\] backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films," Jackson remarked. "It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from \[original author J.R.R. Tolkien\]."

The Lord of the Rings Movies in (Chronological) Order

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As Warner Bros. ventures further into the expansive world of Middle-earth, The Hunt for Gollum may introduce other familiar faces. Philippa Boyens hinted in an interview with Empire last October that Gandalf, potentially played again by the original actor Ian McKellen, could appear in not just one but two upcoming live-action films.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is slated to hit theaters in three Decembers. While fans eagerly await its release, they can stay updated on other Middle-earth adventures, such as Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has been confirmed for a third season.