Warner Bros. Begins Production on 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' with Andy Serkis at the Helm

When Andy Serkis—who first animated Gollum for the 2001–2003 The Lord of the Rings trilogy—steps into the director’s chair, the world watches.

Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema confirmed on Tuesday that principal photography has begun on The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. A short clip released by the studios shows Serkis arriving on set in a motion‑capture suit, greeting the crew and declaring, “Here we go, on to the mo‑cap stage for day 1.” The video ends with Serkis transforming into Gollum and delivering the line, “And, action!”

This marks Serkis’s first time directing a Tolkien‑based film, while he also stars as the title character, playing both Gollum and his younger alter‑ego, Sméagol. Production kicked off in July 2026 in Wellington, New Zealand, and is slated to wrap in October. The crew is already working in a dedicated motion‑capture studio—an approach Serkis pioneered in the original trilogy.

Several actors from the original films return: Sir Ian McKellen reprises Gandalf the Grey, Elijah Wood returns as Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace comes back as Thranduil, the Elven king of the Woodland Realm. New additions include Jamie Dornan as Strider, the chief of the Northern Dúnedain Rangers; Leo Woodall as Halvard, a ranger who accompanies Strider on the hunt; and Kate Winslet as Marigol, a matriarchal figure in the settlement of the Stoors, a role that ties into the film’s exploration of Gollum’s early life as a Stoorish boy.

According to the film’s official synopsis, the story follows Strider’s pursuit of Gollum during the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. The narrative will also delve into Gollum’s past, showing his transformation from a young Stoorish boy into the creature that later appears in the original trilogy. The screenplay is written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, all of whom have worked on previous Tolkien adaptations.

The production’s release schedule places the film in theaters on 17 December 2027. It is the first installment in a planned series of new Lord of the Rings films that will expand on material from the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1954–1955 novel. The project was announced in February 2023, with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens returning as producers.

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have not yet released a full cast list beyond the names mentioned above, but the studio confirmed that the film will feature a mix of returning actors and new talent. The production team has stated that the motion‑capture work will be conducted in a studio equipped with the latest technology, allowing Serkis to deliver a performance that matches the high standards set by the original trilogy.

The film’s development has been closely followed by fans and industry observers. The release of the production‑start video on social media generated immediate interest, with viewers noting the return of key actors and the use of advanced motion‑capture techniques. While no further details about the plot or supporting characters have been disclosed, the confirmed cast and release date provide a clear framework for the project’s trajectory.

As of now, the next public update is expected to come from Warner Bros. in the coming months, likely with a trailer or additional cast announcements. The film’s scheduled December 2027 release positions it for a holiday‑season audience, following the success of the previous Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.