New Lord of the Rings Films in Development
jesslind | May 9, 2024 |
It’s official. During a first-quarter earnings conference, Warner Bros. announced that new Lord of the Rings films are in the “early stages of development” and anticipates releasing it in 2026. The new movie will “explore storylines yet to be told.”
The first movie in this two-film franchise from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), is set to have Andy Serkis star and direct, with Peter Jackson producing with executive producer Ken Kamins and The Imaginarium’s John Cavendish. Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, Jackson’s writing partners, will write the screenplay and be “heavily involved” as well.
Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh released a statement via The Hollywood Reporter:
“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 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!”
And Sekris also spoke about the new film:
“Yesssss, Precious. 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 film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious… .”
WBD first stated back in February 2023 that it was developing new LOTR films with then newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who brokered the deal to make “multiple” films based on Tolkien’s beloved works. The projects are being developed through WB label New Line Cinema. Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, made the adaptive rights deal for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit novels, respectively. There is also a separate animated feature, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which is due to release on December 13th via Warner Bros. and director Kenji Kamiyama. The story is set 200 years before the events of The Hobbit.
In a statement Thursday morning, De Luca and Abdy said:
“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.”
From June 8th-10th of this year, all three original trilogy films will be released in theaters in their extended cut editions.
Now, the floor is open to all of you. What do you think? Will these two films be well-received even with the original team at the helm (unlike Rings of Power)? Are you excited? Not at all? Please leave a comment below!
Comments (2)
But why? Literally noone asked for this.
Gollum only worked as a mirror for Frodo in LotR.
He isn’t interesting enough to carry a movie alone.
This will flop just as hard as that trash Gollum game.
Crossing my fingers. Rings of Power ended an incredible run of greatness from that franchise. I even liked Shadows of Mordor video games and thought those were well done. I do not know if Gollum can carry a film though, but at the same time, it might be perfect in brevity.
When it comes to continuations and bringing things back, people really need to examine Top Gun: Maverick and Cobra Kai and truly think about the dedication and commitment to quality that needs to be there. Not sure if you can force that.