The Lord of the Rings: another film with Gandalf is being prepared

Producer Philippa Boyens reveals more about the upcoming Gollum film and makes an announcement along the way.

This time, no trilogy in sight. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum will only be one film, without a sequel, entirely devoted to the Hobbit having lost his mind. Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Peter Jackson's saga, should direct this new blockbuster in Middle-earth.

Scheduled for release in 2026, it is written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. And in an interview with Empire Magazine, Boyens assures that this film about Gollum will not be in several parts, denying in passing a rumor initiated by Ian McKellen :

“I can tell you with certainty that these are not two films! This is a real misunderstanding that happened because we started working, conceptually, on two different live-action films. The first will be dedicated to Gollum, but the second remains to be confirmed.”

Clearly, the producer announces in passing that another independent live-action film, in the universe of The Lord of the Rings, is in preparation. So what would this other feature film be about?

“We're thinking about a number of ideas, and most of them include Gandalf. So Gandalf could potentially come back in the Gollum movie and also in the other movie.”

Hence the confusion of Ian McKellen. We won't know more. But Philippa Boyens promises that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum will be “a fairly intense story, which takes place after Bilbo's birthday party and before the Mines of Moria“. A piece of the puzzle which will therefore fit right in the middle of The Fellowship of the Ring. ““It’s a precise piece of an incredible, never-before-told story, told from the perspective of this incredible creature.”

We must remember that we will see the great animated film before that The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim next December 11 at the cinema. Waiting for season 3 of Rings of Power on Prime Video.