Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum finally gets confirmed release date after delays

Originally announced last summer, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum was on track for the 2026 slate. However, its confirmed release date is a lot further away than expected.

Creator Peter Jackson returns as a producer on The Hunt for Gollum, a new live-action movie helmed by Andy Serkis. Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, co-writers of the original trilogy, have also returned.

It’s not been confirmed at this stage, but given the title, fans can expect the movie to follow Gollum’s experiences with Sauron in Mordor, before attempting to make his way to the Shire.

Warner Bros. originally slated the new movie for 2026 during the film’s announcement in summer 2024, but Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’s confirmed release date comes with an extra wait.

Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum releases in 2027

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum officially releases on December 17, 2027.

Warner Bros.

This follows the franchise’s trend of its movies opening in December ahead of the Christmas holiday, including the original LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit.

Serkis, whose previous directorial credits include Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage, has been playing the titular role via motion-capture since 2002. Cast for the live-action is currently unknown.

However, Original cast members Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) have all expressed interest in returning should the new storyline make sense for them to appear.

Boyens previously told Empire magazine that The Hunt for Gollum is “quite an intense story,” adding that it “falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines of Moria. It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”

It’s worth bearing in mind as we wait for more details that the last live-action Lord of the Rings movie to hit cinemas was 2014’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim was the last film in the franchise’s entirety to grace screens last year, albeit an animation.

We also asked Boyens if Aragorn will be recast in The Hunt for Gollum, and she revealed the one Lord of the Rings book she wants the rights to adapt.

If you’ve seen the new film, check out our breakdown of War of the Rohirrim’s ending, and check out our list of the best movies of 2024.