Peter Jackson it is destined to produce The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum for Warner Bros. and joining him on this creative journey is the director Andy Serkis and writer and producers Filippa Boyens AND Fran Walsh.
This is definitely an exciting project, especially with the creative team behind the original films involved in bringing this story to life.
During an interview with Deadline, Jackson talked about the story they’re trying to tell while offering some insight into why they wanted to tell this tragic Gollum story.
Jackson explained: “The character of Gollum/Sméagol has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, while his Sméagol side is, without a doubt, quite sympathetic.
“I think it resonates with both readers and movie audiences, because there’s a little bit of both in all of us. We really want to explore his past and delve into those parts of his journey that we haven’t had time to cover in the previous films.
“It’s too early to know who will cross his path, but suffice it to say, we’ll be taking a cue from Professor Tolkien.”
The director went on to talk about the possibility of bringing Serkis on board to direct the film, saying: “Andy was a joy to work with as Second Unit Director on The Hobbit. He has the energy, the imagination and, above all, an intrinsic understanding of the world of the story necessary to return to Middle-earth.
“We have collaborated on eight films together and each time it has been a fantastic experience. There is no one on this planet better equipped to tackle the story of Gollum than Andy.”
Walsh and Boyens are writing the film’s screenplay Phoebe Gittins AND Arty Papageorgiouwho also wrote the upcoming animated film The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim.
Boyens also talked about why he’s excited to tell this story about Gollum, saying, “Gollum’s story is one of the most compelling for us in terms of a character that we couldn’t delve into as much as we wanted before, which feels strange when you say that, given how familiar it is to everyone.
“Gollum’s lifespan takes place in such an interesting time in Middle-earth. When the question was first asked, this was the first story we thought of. Because I can tell you, and people might not believe it, but we had no expectation of going back to this.
What brought you back to the opportunity to work with Warner Bros. and the executives they worked with on the original Middle-earth films?
He also spoke about Serkis directing the film: “Pete always admired Andy’s abilities as a director. That’s why he asked him to shoot his second unit. It was a breeze. He was never about: why Andy? It was like, please, God, let Andy say yes.
“We wanted it to tell the story of Gollum and the hunt for Gollum as soon as we decided, okay, that’s the story. And Pete knew that he didn’t want to go back to the world of Middle Earth again. [Peter] I really enjoyed working with Kenji Kamiyama, who directed War of the Rohirrim.
“As soon as Pete decided, okay, I’m not going to direct it myself, and it’s going to be the Gollum story, I swear to God, there was nobody else but Andy Serkis.”
“There’s no one else you can think of who knows what’s in that character and we know what he brings to it and the whole world of Middle Earth. Andy will have a really interesting take. It will be an interpretation of him, because what we don’t want this film to be is only the fourth film in the trilogy.
“This movie has to work in its own way. And this is our job. This is what we will have to be able to do. I know there’s a lot of people out there who will say, oh no, why do they do that? Why do they come back? Well, that’s our job, to demonstrate why we think it’s a good idea.
Andy Serkis also discussed the opportunity he was given to direct The Hunt for Gollum, sharing, “I’m very honored that they asked me to come back. I really am. I love them as filmmakers because they are honest. They always go for the truth.
“They are the hardest-working people on the planet and their pursuit of excellence is never-ending, and now I can help them reach that bar again. It was actually Philippa who called me first and said: look, this is what we’re thinking about. And I was flushed with a sort of, oh my God, I’m going back there. Yes, it was an amazing time.
Serkis continued by talking about how Gollum is the character that most defines him: “Gollum has always stayed with me all these years. I’ve read the audiobooks of the trilogy, The Silmarillion and The Hobbit, so Tolkien’s world has never left me in all that time since we made the first films.
“And the character in particular has remained a huge part of my life. So it’s absolutely thrilling to be able to go back and dive into his world again, and specifically the psychology of Gotham.
“I know we’re all interested in investigating on a deeper level who that character is and, more importantly, being able to direct and hopefully create a film that has its place within the canon, but also something that both fresh and new. and a different approach.
It’s great to see everyone so excited about the Gollum story they want to tell. I’m excited to see how it turns out! The film is scheduled for release in 2026.
What are your thoughts on the direction they’re trying to take the story?
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
