It’s official: Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema return to Middle Earth on December 17, 2027. THR reports that’s the new theatrical release date for Andy Serkis‘ upcoming “The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum.” Warner Bros. also dated two other projects for 2026 theatrical releases today, too: a new “Evil Dead” film on July 24, 2026, and M. Night Shyamalan‘s “Remain” on October 23, 2026.
But let’s talk “Lord Of The Rings” first. “The Hunt For Gollum” is the first of two new films on the way from producers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, the creative team behind New Line’s first two “Lord Of The Rings” trilogies. Serkis directs the film, and stars as Gollum, with Walsh and Boyens penning the script with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Zane Weiner also produces the film with Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens.
As for the next “Evil Dead” pic, the follow-up to 2023’s “Evil Dead Rise“ will star Souheila Yacoub, with Sébastien Vaniček directing. Vaniček also co-writes the film’s script with Florent Bernand. New Line co-finances the pic with Sony Pictures, with Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi back to produce. Executive producers include Romel Adams, Jose Canas, and “Evil Dead Rise” director Lee Cronin, as well as franchise legend “Ash” Bruce Campbell.
Lastly, Shyamalan’s “Remain” gets a premier Halloween 2026 theatrical release, which means Warner Bros. expects big things from the “Trap” follow-up. Shyamalan’s latest is a supernatural romantic thriller the auteur cooked up with wrtier Nicholas Sparks, with the two co-writing the film’s screenplay and the novel, which hits bookstore shelves on October 7, 2025. Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor star in the film, along with Ashley Walters.
All of these titles remain a little over a year away or more, but they hint at what’s to come for Warner Bros. And that’s more of the same: reliance on successful old IP, and a small risk by an established director. But at least “Lord Of The Rings” fans now know when they’ll see Gollum onscreen again.
