The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumcould provide audiences with a take on one major unanswered J.R.R. Tolkien question regarding Legolas.The Hunt for Gollum’sstoryis based on the appendices ofThe Return of the King, detailing events set duringThe Fellowship of the Ringwhere Gandalf tasked Aragorn with capturing Gollum for information. Before the Council of Elrond and the creation of the Fellowship,Aragorn successfully captured Gollum and brought him back to Mirkwood for interrogation. Audiences may remember Mirkwood fromThe Hobbitfilms as the home of Legolas and his father, Thranduil.
With that in mind, there’s reason to suspect Thranduil might have a role in the upcoming film, which would be exciting given Lee Pace’s growing popularity in recent years. WhileThe Hobbitpaints him as something of a self-righteous figure, which resulted in his performance receiving a mixed response around the trilogy’s release, Pace is undoubtedly a talented star and looked phenomenal as the Elvenking. With another opportunity, Thranduil could be an immensely exciting character, and the movie would have a chance to explore a bit more of his lore.
Despite Introducing Thranduil, J.R.R. Tolkien Never Addresses Legolas' Mother
Thranduil Is Legolas' Father - But Who Is The Mother?
Thranduil was originally introduced inThe Hobbitbook as “Elvenking” before a new name was assigned to him inThe Lord of the Ringsseries. Like many fascinating characters in Tolkien’s lore,much of Thranduil’s history prior toThe Hobbitand the events of the War of the Ring aren’t documented, and it’s not very clear how old he is, what he’s done aside from inheriting the throne of the Woodland Realm following his father’s death at the end of theSecond Age. The same goes for Legolas, whose life before the events ofFellowshipis unknown.
Hunt For Gollum’s Confirmed Timeline Is Way Trickier After Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings Change
Hunt for Gollum’s screenwriter has confirmed when the film is set in LOTR’s timeline, but this is a problem considering a big movie change.
Legolas could have been born in the Second or Third Age of Middle-earth, but it’s entirely unclear. There’s never any mention of him having a mother, which is rather common in Tolkien’s lore. As expansive and layered as his world is, there are numerous important characters who aren’t as well-documented as one might think. The fact that it’s unclear what era Legolas was even born in is rather surprising, given how instrumental he is to the main epic.
While Gimli also doesn’t have a mother, Aragorn’s mother is named Gilraen.
The Hunt For Gollum Could Finally Reveal More About Legolas' Mother
Lord Of The Rings Movies May Not Have Another Chance To Show Legolas
When toying with Thranduil inThe Hobbitmovies, Peter Jackson didn’t shy away from interpreting the character and making changes to his version. For example, there’s a scene where he reveals a scarred part of his face that’s been concealed by magic, showing that he survived a past encounter with a dragon that never appears in Tolkien’s lore. Peter Jackson is producing the film with Andy Serkis directing, so conversations about the expansion of Thranduil’s character will definitely happen. Giving Legolas a mother, alive or dead, could be an interesting idea.
The Hunt for Gollumwill likely be the last film set in this era on theLord of the Ringstimeline, given that there aren’t many more stories to tell during The War of the Ring. There’s also not that many moments in Tolkien’s history that feature Thranduil or Legolas, aside from what’s already been shown in the movies, sothis is probably the last opportunity to show what Legolas' mother would look like. The only other option would be to have her in a film about Legolas and Gimli’s life after the One Ring is destroyed.
Expanding This Piece Of Lord Of The Rings Lore Could Prove Controversial
Changes To Tolkien’s Lore Are Always A Discussion
Any book change or expansion is bound to be controversial to some dedicated Tolkien fans, as proven byThe Hobbit,The Rings of Power, and even the Peter JacksonLord of the Ringstrilogy. Thereisn’t really any distinct need to know who Legolas' mother was, but he’s such a fan favorite that knowing just a bit more of his past would be valuable.Especially in the movie universe, Orlando Bloom’s portrayal is iconic, which is incredible given how few lines he actually had.
Lord Of The Rings' Gollum Movie Could Be The Blueprint For Adapting A Major Event Cut From Peter Jackson’s Movies
The Lord of the Rings’ upcoming Gollum movie could offer a blueprint for adapting a major event that was cut from Peter Jackson’s trilogy.
Peter Jackson’s adaptations changed plenty inThe Lord of the Rings, so change in and of itself isn’t the issue. If something like this were to be explored,The Hunt for Gollumshould offer it some purpose for the narrative, rather than just shoehorning something in for the sake of doing it. Regardless, it’s important to remember with any adaptation that the books are always going to be the books. Tolkien’s stories and lore aren’t going anywhere, and the fact that they’re open to such interpretation only speaks to their timeless cultural and literary value.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
Cast
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is an upcoming fantasy adventure film that delves into the story of Gollum’s obsession with the One Ring.
