Ian McKellen got “Lord of the Rings” fans excited earlier this year. He signaled that the new movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” will have two parts.
However, it seems that this information is not true. Philippa Boyens, the screenwriter involved in director Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, has confirmed to Empire magazine that “The Hunt for Gollum” will only be one movie.
1. The New Lord of The Rings Movie is not in Two Parts
In the interview, Boyens explained that Ian McKellen’s statement regarding the two storylines was not accurate. However, Boyens also revealed that they are developing a new Lord of the Rings movie.
In this development process, they have a concept to bring back the character of Gandalf who will appear in both new films.
“I can say that these are not two separate movies. This is actually a misunderstanding, because we have just started work on two live-action films that are conceptually different. The first movie is The Hunt for Gollum, while the second movie is still not officially confirmed. (“The Hunt for Gollum is a movie with an interesting story, set after Bilbo’s birthday party and before the events in the Mines of Moria,” Boyens said.
“It’s a part of the story that hasn’t been shown before, and it’s told from the point of view of that extraordinary being. (For the next movie) I have some ideas, but most of them involve Gandalf. So, most likely Gandalf will be back in both live-action movies,” he added.
However, this could also be an indication that more live-action movies about “Rings” will be released in the future.
2. Will be released in 2026
Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Jackson’s trilogy, is now moving into the director’s chair for “The Hunt for Gollum.”
Several actors from the original “Rings” films, such as Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and Viggo Mortensen, have shown interest in returning if the story allows their characters to appear.
Boyens also revealed in the interview that the future “Rings” movies after “The Hunt for Gollum” might involve Gandalf.
“Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” was announced in May, with Jackson serving as a producer alongside Boyens and Walsh. The film is set to be released in theaters in 2026 by Warner Bros. and New Line.
