The next Lord of the Rings movie has officially been pushed back—moving from December 2026 to December 2027. The news came from Andy Serkis, who is both directing the film and reprising his role as Gollum, during Fan Expo Vancouver 2025.
Serkis added that the team has only just begun writing the script. Filming preparations will start in late 2025 and are expected to last about six months.
The project is being developed by Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh, the trio behind the screenplays for all previous Lord of the Rings films. The cast remains unknown, but actors like Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, and Elijah Wood have expressed interest in returning.
The movie is titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. It is expected to explore the encounter between the former hobbit and Gandalf.