Andy Serkis and Peter Jackson return for The Lord of The Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

A new Lord of the Rings film is heading our way for 2026. It currently has the working title of Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Original trilogy and The Hobbit filmmaker Peter Jackson will produce the project, while Gollum himself, Andy Serkis, will direct and star.

The project is “currently in the early stages of script development” and is being written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou.

The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.

Warner Bros. bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy released a statement, declaring their desire to “ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision.”

“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the ‘Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision. We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,’ we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ cinematic history.”

Jackson, Walsh and Boyens added: “It is an honour 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 life long 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!”

“Yesssss, Precious,” Serkis said. “The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”