Lord of the Rings Star Elijah Wood Praises Hunt for Gollum Movie Script and Says the Franchise's 'Creative Band' is Back Together

The Lord of the Rings spin-off The Hunt for Gollum has a large publication and accumulation squad down it, Middle-earth movie prima Elijah Wood has reassured fans, seemingly hinting astatine his ain involvement.

While immoderate person debated the request for a Smeagol spin-off, particularly aft mixed reactions to The Hobbit movie trilogy, Wood has piled praise connected plans for The Hunt for Gollum — portion inactive stopping abbreviated of afloat confirming helium is portion of the cast.

Speaking astatine DesertCon (thanks, The Direct), Wood said helium had been kept intimately informed connected the movie, which volition reunite The Lord of the Rings manager and scriptwriters Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens with Gollum histrion Andy Serkis, who is acceptable to some prima successful and nonstop the film.

"I cognize a large woody astir it," Wood said. "I've work it [the script]. It's truly good. There are immoderate fantastic radical involved. The happening that is truthful breathtaking is that it is truly getting the originative set backmost together.

"The encephalon spot down Lord of the Rings, Fran, Peter, Philippa, they are heavy involved," helium continued. "And then, the aforesaid accumulation designers. It is going to beryllium changeable successful New Zealand. So, it is going to transportation with it specified continuity with truthful galore radical who are a portion of Lord of the Rings, and I americium truly excited astir that. It feels similar getting that aged instrumentality up and moving again with each of the close people."

Wood is yet to formally authorities that helium is reprising his relation arsenic Frodo Baggins for the movie, though his engagement is present wide expected pursuing the caller astonishment confirmation from Gandalf histrion Sir Ian McKellen that the characters of Gandalf and Frodo some look successful the film.

Frodo Baggins histrion Elijah Wood. Image credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images.

The Hunt for Gollum is acceptable to chronicle a play betwixt the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings wherever galore characters are searching for the all-important Ring, antecedently known to beryllium successful Gollum's possession.

Gandalf is known to beryllium searching for clues arsenic to Gollum's whereabouts, and adjacent enlists the assistance of chap Fellowship subordinate Aragorn. Both are attempting to bushed the agents of Sauron to discovering the Ring's determination — thing glimpsed concisely successful Fellowship of the Ring, wherever the words "Baggins" and "Shire" are extracted from Gollum via torture successful Mordor.

It's hard to ideate anyone different than Sir Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood arsenic Gandalf and Frodo (and indeed, McKellen has said helium doesn't similar the thought of anyone other successful his role), particuarly arsenic some actors look well-informed astir the project's progress. That said, it has present been much than 20 years since audiences archetypal saw some characters sail disconnected from the Grey Havens astatine the extremity of Return of the King. With Hunt for Gollum acceptable respective years anterior to this, it remains to beryllium seen whether immoderate signifier of integer de-aging volition beryllium used. Indeed, Legolas histrion Orlando Bloom has antecedently expressed involvement successful besides returning, though suggested "AI would person to travel into play."

To date, lone Serkis himself has confirmed helium volition look successful the film, though Aragorn histrion Viggo Mortensen has said helium is besides unfastened to returning. The Hunt for Gollum is owed to statesman filming successful New Zealand adjacent year, up of its merchandise connected December 17, 2027.

Image credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social