This article contains spoilers forThe Lord of the Ringsbook.The newThe Lord of the Ringsmovie is coming up, and it may feature someclassic Tolkien characters. The new movie currently has the working title ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, but this may change (viaPopverse). The movie’s title refers to its protagonist, Gollum, who appeared in Peter Jackson’s original, legendaryLord of the Ringstrilogy. Andy Serkis will reprise his role as Gollum in the new movie, but will also step up as director, replacing Peter Jackson. Gollum’s appearance in the new movie is inevitable, while someLord of the Ringscharacters' appearances are more likely than others.
Jackson directed all six movies in the Warner Bros. franchise thus far, includingThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbittrilogies. In stepping down from the helm of the franchise, Jackson offered Serkis the chance to control a movie about his own character. A deep dive into Gollum’s psychology is planned (viaDeadline). Serkis directing this movie will result in an unfettered look at one of cinema’s great villains, so “there may be characters that [viewers] recognize that might be coming back” (viaPopverse). This will help tell Gollum’s story, with certain characters likely to play vital supporting roles.
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10Saruman
Saruman The White
Saruman the White could end up appearing inThe Hunt for Gollum.This famousLord of the Ringsvillain does crop up toward the end of what could be described as the huntfor Gollum in the book. The arc of the hunt for Gollum is in the appendices toThe Lord of the Rings, and describes a search for Gollum which culminates in the year Gandalf finds himself in Orthanc.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollummight come out in 2026.
Orthanc is one of the eponymous two towers of Jackson’s secondLord of the Ringsmovie, governed by Saruman. Toward the end of the hunt for Gollum, the arc’s main characters are separated. However,Gandalf is one of the arc’s main characters and would likely encounter Sarumanin Orthanc. If the upcoming movie arrives at this point inThe Lord of the Ringstimeline, it may well feature Saruman.
9Elrond
Lord Of Rivendell
One ofthe most powerful Elves inThe Lord of the Rings, Elrond Half-elven is a possible character ofThe Hunt for Gollum. While not one of the protagonists of the storyline that covers the hunt for Gollum, Elrond could be seen to feature in it. Iconic fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien didn’t go into too much detail about these events, but offered thatduring the hunt for Gollum, Elrond sent for Arwen.
The story is provided in Tolkien’s appendices as a timeline, very scant on imagery or explanation. As such, the context of Elrond calling for Arwen is a little mysterious. However, it is clear that the mountains and all lands eastward were becoming dangerous - there likely wasn’t too much more to it than that.Elrond’s brief appearance in events related to the hunt for Gollum signals a potential cameoin the movie.
8Bilbo Baggins
Fifth Ring-Bearer
The titular hero ofThe Hobbitmovies, Bilbo Baggins could pop up inThe Hunt for Gollum. It is on Bilbo’s 111th birthday party that Gandalf starts seeking news of Gollum. This event effectively marks the beginning of the hunt for Gollum in the book. There’s no indication of the movie’s plot or script yet, butit’s likely that this important event will featurein them somehow.
Just because Bilbo’s birthday party was the first sign of a hunt for Gollum in the book, it doesn’t mean that the movie will include it. After all,Bilbo’s party is not a hunt for Gollum, and the movie has a lot of ground to cover, so may focus on the hunt itself, or completely on Gollum. The hunt extends far and wide across Middle-earth, from Mirkwood to Rhovanion.
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7Frodo Baggins
Sixth Ring-Bearer
Frodo Baggins may appear inThe Hunt for Gollum, as he is party to quite a few of the events Tolkien discusses in and around the hunt for Gollum.Frodo is present at Bilbo’s birthday party, although this party might not be in the movie. However, Frodo is also visited by Gandalf during the Wizard’s search for Gollum.
Whereas Gandalf first starts looking for reports of Sméagol’s whereabouts on the day of Bilbo’s farewell feast, he goes on to spend years looking for him. Every four years,Gandalf visits Frodo in the Shire, providing ample opportunity for the movie’s plot to reach the Shire. Frodo’s close relationship with Gandalf ensures a high possibility of his appearance in the new movie.
6Legolas
Prince Of The Woodland Realm
Legolas is one of the bestLord of the Ringscharactersof all time, so thankfully, there’s reason to believe he could be inThe Hunt for Gollum. Bilbo’s birthday party happens in the year 3001 of the Third Age. Despite starting to question Gollum’s location then,Gandalf doesn’t start looking for Gollum in earnest until 3009. Gandalf spends the next eight years searching, and his journeys take him to Legolas' home.
Gandalf and Aragorn could easily run into Legolas in the movie.
At this point, Legolas is living in Mirkwood with his father, Thranduil, who played a big role inThe Hobbit. While looking for Gollum, Gandalf and Aragorn pass through Mirkwood.The Hunt for Gollumcould include a cursory glimpse into Mirkwood, or include longer scenes in the forest with no characters other than Gandalf and Aragorn. However, Gandalf and Aragorn could easily run into Legolas in the movie.
5Gandalf
Gandalf The Grey
Gandalf is the next most important character in the hunt for Gollum after Gollum himself inThe Lord of the Rings, making his appearance in the movie very possible.Ian McKellen jokingly said he would happily reprise his roleas Gandalf “if [he’s] still alive.” (viaThe Times). With McKellen’s approval, all that remains in determining Gandalf’s part in the upcoming movie is confirmation of its plot.
Showing events from Gollum’s perspective means that the movie will likely choose not to focus on those hunting for Gollum, and instead on the one being hunted. It is Aragorn who finds Gollum in the story, not Gandalf, even though Gandalf spends the same amount of time as Aragorn looking for him. However,Gandalf’s key role in events that concern finding Gollum mark him out as a potential characterin the coming movie.
4Thranduil
The Elvenking
Bearing in mind the likelihood of Legolas Greenleaf featuring inThe Hunt for Gollum,Thranduil’s appearance is also possible. If anything, it is more likely that Thranduil will star in the movie. This is because Thranduil is a key player in Gandalf and Aragorn’s search for Gollum. In 3017, Aragorn finds Gollum and brings him to Thranduil in Mirkwood.
Gandalf starts searching for Gollum in 3001, putting 16 years between the start of the hunt and Aragorn bringing Gollum to Thranduil. It could be hard for the movie to portray this length of time. As such, the movie may leave out the start of the hunt, allowing time to display Thanduil’s core role. Or, it may leave Thranduil’s part in the story to its sequel. Alternatively,the timeline may be compressed, which would make Legolas and Thranduil’s appearance easier to materialize.
3Sauron
The Lord Of The Rings
The character for which Peter Jackson’s most famous trilogy is named plays a starring role in the hunt for Gollum in the book. Although low on specifics, Tolkien mentioned that at some point during Gandalf and Aragorn’s hunt for Gollum,Gollum strayed into Mordorand was captured by Sauron. The movie will show “the world of Middle-earth according to Gollum’s experience of it,” so if it gets this far in the story, it will probably feature Sauron in some respect (viaPopverse).
It’s clear fromThe Lord of the RingsthatGollum’s encounter with Sauron didn’t go wellfor Gollum, resulting in Gollum being tortured for information about the One Ring. Gollum described Sauron’s hand, saying it had four fingers and was black. This is how it became clear, in the book, that Sauron had a physical body at the time - a body thatThe Hunt for Gollummay show.
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2Aragorn
King Elessar
In 3001, the year of Bilbo’s farewell feast,Gandalf enlists Aragorn to begin determining Gollum’s location. Gandalf and Aragorn are the main duo in this story, hunting high and low for the corrupted halfling. Aragorn’s importance in the story makes him a great candidate for inclusion in the movie. Despite this, Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen has not been confirmed for the movie.
Aragorn could be recast forThe Hunt for Gollum.
Mortensen confirmed that he “would only do it if [he] was right for the character” in terms of his age, speaking toGQ. Mortensen looks older than he did when he played Aragorn in Jackson’s original movies, butThe Hunt for Gollumwould be set before that, so Mortensen no longer looks the part. However,de-aging technology could be used on Mortensento make him look the correct age. Alternatively, Aragorn could be recast forThe Hunt for Gollum.
1Gollum
Fourth Ring-Bearer
Andy Serkis will play GolluminThe Hunt for Gollum, although no other cast has been announced. The movie will give audiences a unique and unprecedented glimpse into Gollum’s point of view, showing why the villainous ex-Hobbit acts the way he does. Gollum was scary and also sympathetic in Jackson’s movies, making him a great focal point for the new duo of movies coming out.
Serkis' critically acclaimed Gollum will be hunted in the movie, but may not be aware of it.Gollum’s suspicious nature may be shown worseningand developing, which will provide a great backdrop to Jackson’s other movies, where Gollum was incredibly paranoid. In general, Gollum’s appearance in the movie can shed new light on one ofTheLord of the Rings’most fascinating characters.
Sources:Popverse,Deadline,GQ
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
