The Lord of the Rings: The Search for Gollum
now has an official release date, and it continues a franchise trend. Based on the book series by J. R. R. Tolkien, the first live-action
Lord of the Rings
The film was released in 2001 directed by Peter Jackson’s
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
. Five live-action movies later, Andy Serkis is now set to direct and
star in
The Lord of the Rings: The Search for Gollum
, anticipated to occur during the course of Jackson’s initial exploration of Middle-earth.
Warner Bros. along with New Line Cinema have recently disclosed that
The Hunt for Gollum
is set to debut in cinemas on December 17, 2027
The statement verifies that Serkis will both direct and lead the movie, with Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens serving as producers.
The Hunt for Gollum
The screenplay for this film will be crafted by Walsh, Boyens, Phoege Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou. Confirming this new release date follows a pattern established by earlier installments of the series, which have consistently been launched in December. Further reporting provided by
THR
indicates that this new movie is among two
Lord of the Rings
movies that Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens are overseeing.
This announcement comes with the confirmation that Warner Bros. has set the date for the new film.
Evil Dead
movie for July 24, 2026, and M. Night Shyamalan’s
Remain
for October 23, 2026.
What This Means For The Hunt For Gollum
The Expected Schedule for the Movie’s Production Laid Out
Initially, it was reported that
The Hunt for Gollum
was set to arrive in December 2026. At a February event during Fan Expo Vancouver, according to
The Direct
Serkis affirmed that the movie wouldn’t meet the initial deadline, setting December 2027 as the updated target date. He disclosed that at that point, the project was ”
at the very start of the writing process
“, with the preparation phase scheduled to begin later this year, and
Shooting is scheduled to begin in 2026.
.
This recent declaration from Warner Bros. aligns with the schedule outlined by Serkis, indicating that there remains a substantial period before any real shooting begins on the film. Despite this extended waiting time, having a clearer timeline now offers some reassurance.
Cast announcements might come in the following months as specifics get finalized.
It has not been confirmed yet, for instance, whether the original
Lord of the Rings
cast
members like Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), or Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) will be reprising their roles, but news may not be far off.
Our Take On The Hunt For Gollum’s Release Date
The Latest Lord of the Rings Film Tackles a Significant Hurdle
By the time
The Hunt for Gollum
Releasing in December 2027, it will mark 13 years since the previous live-action version.
Lord of the Rings
movie
was released, with
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
releasing in December 2014. Although a December release date might not be crucial for Serkis’ movie to achieve success,
the choice for release sheds light on the various aspects of
The Hunt for Gollum
could attempt to recapture the glory of Jackson’s beloved original trilogy
.
The latest film in the series is
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Rohan
(2024)
, an anime that received varied critiques and did not perform well at the box office.
The Hunt for Gollum
occurs amid the events of
The Group of the Ring
This implies that it will apparently recreate certain settings and characters that fans have not encountered in a long while.
Counting on nostalgia, nonetheless, can only propel the movie so much further.
, and the film should ideally be able to stand alone as an entertaining Middle-earth adventure. Numerous questions still linger about
The Lord of the Rings: The Search for Gollum
, but at least now, audiences have a definite date to anticipate.
Source: Warner Bros.,
THR