Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has announced that the next “Lord of The Rings” movie is aiming for a theatrical release in 2026 and will have the creative involvement of filmmaker Peter Jackson, who co-wrote and directed all six Middle-Earth feature films based on the beloved high-fantasy novels of Professor J.R.R. Tolkien. The new movie is only in the “early stages of script development” and will be titled “The Lord of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum,” which will feature the return of Andy Serkis in the iconic role.
This big news of Jackson making his grand return to Middle-Earth hails from WBD’s first-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, where Zaslav himself shared the huge announcement (Warner Bros followed up with an official announcement to press). While Jackson is mentioned, his longtime creative partners and co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will be tackling the film’s script.
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Additionally, an official press release announcing the film reveals that Serkis isn’t just reprising the role of Gollum but directing too, after working on “The Hobbit” trilogy as the second unit director. Since then, Serkis has directed movies like “Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.”
Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou are also involved with the script, who also worked on the upcoming animated film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” coming to theaters on December 13 (we’re still patiently waiting on a first-look teaser trailer).
In an official statement, Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens said, “It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker-Gollum! As lifelong fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy, and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
That brief mention of a 2026 release might suggest a production start sometime next year, but it could rely on when filming will start and how long they’ll need for post-production, as the franchise is known for next-level CGI work via Weta Digital.
“The Hunt For Gollum” would be set directly within The Third Age of Middle-Earth and could allow other characters to make their grand return to the big screen alongside Gollum.