The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Will Not See Viggo Mortensen Return as Aragorn

Viggo Mortensen volition not reprise his relation arsenic Aragorn successful The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Director and returning prima Andy Serkis confirmed the quality during a caller interrogation with Screen Rant. It’s a casting update that means 1 of the stars of the archetypal The Lord of the Rings trilogy films volition not instrumentality alongside immoderate of his castmates erstwhile the movie premieres precocious adjacent year.

“I don't cognize what's retired determination astatine the moment, but I cognize there's a batch of speculation,” Serkis said, “but let's conscionable accidental we are recasting the relation and we are connected the mode to uncovering someone.”

Many fans person seen The Hunt for Gollum arsenic an accidental to reunite the squad down 1 of the all-time large movie trilogies. Even Frodo histrion Elijah Wood, who is besides expected to instrumentality alongside Gandalf histrion Ian McKellen, shared his excitement astir “getting the set backmost together” conscionable weeks ago. Mortensen said successful 2024 that helium was unfastened to returning arsenic Aragorn, too, though lone if his inclusion made sense.

“Sure,” the past 65-year-old histrion said erstwhile asked if helium was unfastened to reprising his role. “I don't cognize precisely what the communicative is, I haven't heard. Maybe I'll perceive astir it eventually. I similar playing that character. I learned a batch playing the character. I enjoyed it a lot. I would lone bash it if I was close for it successful presumption of, you know, the property I americium present and truthful forth. I would lone bash it if I was close for the character. It would beryllium silly to bash it otherwise.”

It seems Mortensen and the remainder of the originative squad weren’t capable to enactment retired a mode for a due instrumentality of the king, astatine slightest for now. That leaves the doorway wide unfastened for a newcomer to measurement into the role, though details connected who that whitethorn beryllium stay a enigma for now.

The Hunt for Gollum is said to archer a communicative acceptable betwixt the events of The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, meaning immoderate of these returning actors volition play versions of characters younger than they were erstwhile they archetypal portrayed them. Serkis has shown involvement successful utilizing AI to de-age immoderate of the formed successful the past, pointing to perchance utilizing the exertion to marque Legolas prima Orlando Bloom autumn much successful enactment with the series’ elves, though, contempt his interest, helium is not confirmed to instrumentality yet.

The Hunt for Gollum is precise overmuch inactive being molded arsenic it careens toward its December 17, 2027, merchandise date. Although Peter Jackson is attached to instrumentality arsenic a producer, it’s wide determination are much casting choices to beryllium made. One update from conscionable past period saw Titanic histrion Kate Winslet picked to prima successful the caller Lord of the Rings movie arsenic a enigma character.

“It's been a tightrope for all,” Serkis added. “I mean, the full Lord of the Rings squad who worked connected the originals are reassembled, for a start. So it is grounded successful the lore and the satellite and the imaginativeness of Peter Jackson's trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. So it volition consciousness similar a due Middle-earth film, there's nary question, but determination is simply a overmuch much interior intelligence probe into 1 of Tolkien's astir analyzable characters, i.e. Gollum. So it's a precise absorbing mix, and I deliberation it is simply a tightrope for sure. A batch of the filmmaking techniques are ones that we are employing, which harken backmost to the archetypal trilogy. I deliberation it'll beryllium a large matrimony of a caller communicative and an intimate communicative wrong the lore and satellite of Middle-earth that we each love.”

While Serkis puts the finishing touches connected his instrumentality arsenic Smeagol, you tin work astir the precocious announced The Lord of the Rings follow-up film, Shadow of the Past, which is being written successful portion by The Late Show big Stephen Colbert. You tin besides work astir wherefore we deliberation it mightiness beryllium clip for the franchise to get the reboot treatment.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).