Ian McKellen has seemingly confirmed that two central originalLord of the Ringscharacters are returning in the upcoming movie,The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The upcoming film will be directed by Andy Serkis (who also reprises his role as Gollum), produced by Peter Jackson, and will follow the stories from J.R.R. Tolkien’s appendices.
Not much isconfirmed aboutThe Hunt For Gollum’splot, butit will likely focus on the race against time to find the titular character before Sauron can exploit Gollum’s knowledge of the One Ring. Serkis previously stated production is slated to begin around mid-2026 in New Zealand, andThe Hunt For Gollumis scheduled to be released on Jul 18, 2025.
Recently, at London’sFor the Love of Fantasyconvention, Sir Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf in theLord of the Ringsmovies, dropped a bombshell about the upcoming film. In a panel, which included Elijah Wood and Sean Astin,McKellen talked aboutThe Hunt for Gollum, teasing the return of Frodo and Gandalf. Check out his comment below:
I hear there’s going to be another movie based in Middle-earth, and it’s going to start filming in May. It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum. But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo, and there’s a character in the movie called Gandalf. Apart from that, my lips are sealed!
What Ian McKellen’s Comments Mean For The Hunt For Gollum
McKellen didn’texplicitlyconfirm whether he and Wood would reprise their respective rolesas Frodo and GandalfinThe Hunt for Gollum. However, previously,McKellen has expressed interest in returning as Gandalf, and with this announcement being delivered in the presence of Wood and other original cast members, it does seem that this might be the case.
It’s possible that McKellen’s involvement inThe Hunt For Gollummay simply refer to flashbacks of Frodo and Gandalf fromFellowship of the Ring. Gandalf tells Frodo that they searched everywhere for Gollum before the enemy found him first, and this could be revisited in Serkis' movie. However, McKellen’s announcement hints at something much bigger than that.
Therefore, this new development does lead to questions about justwhenThe Hunt for Gollumwill be set inThe Lord of the Rings’overalltimeline. If Frodo and Gandalf are featured in a more involved capacity, it could mean thatthe upcoming film will essentially bridge the gap betweenThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringstrilogies.
Our Take On Frodo & Gandalf’s Return
The fact that McKellen was the one to deliver the news at a rare convention appearance means that Frodo and Gandalf’s return is certainly a significant development for the film.McKellen’s ambiguity creates just the right blend of anticipation and speculation, enough to stoke excitement with fans without locking the filmmakers into anything too specific too early.
Interestingly, it’s actuallyGandalf and Aragorn on the hunt for Gollumin Tolkien’s story, so Viggo Mortensen’s silence and Frodo’s inclusion are somewhat intriguing. Regardless, I’m really excited to see Wood and McKellen return as their iconic characters, and with Serkis and Peter Jackson on board,The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumis only getting more exciting.
