Exclusive: Constant speculation has been circlingThe Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumpertaining to whether iconicLord of the Ringsactors will reprise their roles, and original star John Rhys-Davies just gave a hopeful answer.Andy Serkis’The Hunt for Gollummovieis expected in December 2027, with the great actor directing and returning to his famous role. The movie is widely expected to depict Aragorn and Gandalf tracking Gollum, therefore overlapping withThe Fellowship of the Ringin theLord of the Ringstimeline.
Viggo Mortensen and Ian McKellen returning as Aragorn and Gandalf, respectively, seems like it would be vital to this story (neither actor is confirmed for Hunt for Gollum), but other classicLord of the Ringscharacters have the potential to appear as well. And, in an interview withScreen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeierat Fan Expo Philadelphia, Gimli actor John Rhys-Davies apparently confirmed his willingness to return to Middle-earth.Check out his comments below:
Screen Rant:I know that Andy Serkis is going to be directing a follow up to Lord of the Rings called the hunt for Golem. And if my memory serves me correct, you said you would return if you didn’t have to do the prosthetics. And I got great news for you, because nowadays I think they can put them on in less than an hour. So could we expect Gimli to return and you reprising the role?
Rhys-Davies:If I’m asked to serve, I will consider it and probably say yes.
What This Means For LOTR’s The Hunt For Gollum
Hunt For Gollum Could Have A Bigger Story
As is referenced in this interview, Rhys-Davies and otherLord of the Ringscast members responded toTheHunt for Gollumquestionsat AwesomeCon in April 2025, where he said he might be interested if he didn’t have to wear uncomfortable prosthetics. In comparison, this is a much more enthusiastic response.This is Rhys-Davies saying that seeing Gimli again is a very realistic possibility,if the filmmakers have a place for him in the story.
Whilethe exact nature ofTheHunt for Gollum’s plot is still somewhat ambiguous,the expectation that it will mainly be about Gollum, Aragorn, and Gandalf suggests a more contained narrative. However, Gimli returning means this movie could be a broader prequel toFellowship of the Ring, especially with actors like Liv Tyler and Orlando Bloom also very interested.The Hunt for Gollumthus could be very nostalgia-driven while still framing the original story in a new context.
Our Take On John Rhys-Davies' Comments On Returning To LOTR
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It’s very heartening to see anotherLord of the Ringsactor almost definitely on board withThe Hunt for Gollum, with a poetic response of “If I’m asked to serve…,” and it’s starting to feel like the Fellowship is reassembling. Gimli’s storyline may be largely separate from Gollum’s, but if Legolas also returns, they might be able to do something with these two characters (admittedly, they are not supposed to meet until the Council of Elrond). But with more figures who are the heart of the series and its themes coming back, we could see a more hopeful side to Gollum’s dark, lonely story.
