The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Confirmed for North American Release on December 17, 2027
Andy Serkis directs and stars in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, with Jamie Dornan as Strider and Ian McKellen returning as Gandalf; it opens in North America on December 17, 2027.
〈The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum〉 is a fantasy film set between Peter Jackson's 〈The Hobbit〉 and 〈The Lord of the Rings〉 trilogies, as well as during the period of 〈The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring〉. Told from Gollum's perspective, it follows the Ranger Strider as he tracks Gollum at Gandalf's direction.
Andy Serkis, who has portrayed Gollum, serves as both director and lead actor. The screenplay was written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and others, with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens also involved as producers. Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Elijah Wood (Frodo), and Lee Pace (Thranduil) are returning, while Jamie Dornan plays Strider. Kate Winslet, Riō Udall, and Anya Taylor-Joy also appear.
Pre-production began in Wellington, New Zealand, in September 2025, and filming is underway from July through October 2026. The film was initially expected to be released in 2026 but was delayed by one year.
Distributed by Warner Bros., it will be released in North America on December 17, 2027. The domestic release date has not yet been announced.