Sir Ian McKellen Confirms Gandalf and Frodo's Return for 'The Hunt for Gollum'

Sir Ian McKellen has officially confirmed his involvement in the upcoming Lord of the Rings spin-off, The Hunt for Gollum. The veteran actor announced that both his character, Gandalf, and Frodo Baggins will feature in the new film. This significant revelation was made public during a fan event held in London.

McKellen provided further details regarding the production timeline, noting that principal photography is slated to commence in May. Andy Serkis is set to direct the feature, reprising his iconic role as Gollum. Warner Bros. has established a release date of December 17, 2027, marking a slight delay from the initially projected 2026 window. The screenplay is being crafted by the established writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who were instrumental in the original trilogy. Peter Jackson, alongside Walsh and Boyens, is serving as a producer, with Jackson emphasizing his commitment to overseeing every phase of the project.

The narrative focus of the movie will bridge the gap between Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday celebration and the moment the Fellowship of the Ring enters the Mines of Moria. Specifically, the plot will explore the period when Gandalf tasks the Ranger Aragorn with tracking down Gollum before the creature can divulge sensitive information about the One Ring to Sauron’s encroaching dark forces. While McKellen’s announcement confirmed the presence of the character Frodo, he did not explicitly state that Elijah Wood would be reprising the role. However, given Serkis’s return, Wood’s appearance is widely anticipated, especially since Wood himself has previously expressed enthusiasm about returning to Middle-earth.

To address the inevitable age difference for the actors since The Return of the King concluded, discussions have involved leveraging advanced artificial intelligence technologies alongside sophisticated digital makeup techniques. Director Andy Serkis brings valuable on-set experience from having shot scenes for both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The production team has indicated that the film will prioritize an in-depth exploration of Gollum’s fractured psyche—the conflict between his Smeagol and Gollum personas—rather than focusing heavily on large-scale battle sequences.

The start of filming in May directly influenced the revised premiere date set for December 2027. While reports suggest that Viggo Mortensen, who portrayed Aragorn, will not be returning to the role, the confirmation of McKellen’s participation, and the strong implication of Wood’s return, underscores a clear desire to maintain continuity with the beloved original saga. Furthermore, Wood has confirmed that filming activities will take place in New Zealand, the spiritual home of the franchise.