‘The Hunt For Gollum’: Elijah Wood Doesn’t Want “Anyone Else To Play” Frodo, Stops Short Of Confirming Return To Middle-Earth

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are gearing up to bring audiences back to the fantasy realm of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Middle-Earth with a new installment in “The Lord of the Rings” saga with “The Hunt for Gollum,” hailing from director Andy Serkis (worked as second unit director on “The Hobbit” trilogy) and is also set to reprise the Gollum role.

This new gap-filling tale is expected to take place before some of the bigger events of “Fellowship of the Ring,” with actors Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen expected to reprise their roles (Aragorn said to be getting a recast due to Viggo Mortensen‘s age and expense to de-age the actor digitally).

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However, what isn’t exactly clear is if Elijah Wood is officially coming back to play Frodo Baggins, and the actor is telling The Sunday Times (promoting his latest release, “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come“) he doesn’t want “anyone else to play” the loveable/brave ringbearer.

“It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag,” Wood said of his possible return for “The Hunt for Gollum” while giving a cheeky grin. “So there is a good chance. I’m not able to officially say anything until it’s announced, but I will say I’m thrilled with the prospect of another film. It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-Earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling…I’m just excited…I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either, as long as I’m alive and able. And I can also recognise what fun that is going to be — when you are in the cinema, and you see the hat turn around and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together.”

Longtime “Lord of the Rings” franchise screenwriters and producers Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh are credited as co-writing the “Gollum” script alongside “The War of the Rohirrim” writers Arty Papageorgiou and Phoebe Gittins. He’s not directing, but Peter Jackson also returns in a producing role on the new fantasy flick.

While the movie is being prepped for production in New Zealand, making this the seventh Middle-Earth installment shot there, some casting rumors have made their way online via Daniel Richtman. He claims that actors Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus,” “Nuremberg”) and Ana Taylor-Joy (“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”) are circling the two leads of the new pic. We’ll have to wait and see if that one comes to fruition.

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“Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum” (may see a title change) is set to be released by Warner Bros. on December 17, 2027. Given there is talk of filming starting between May and June, we suspect we’ll learn more official casting information in the coming months.