Elijah Wood is still not confirming whether or not he will return as Frodo in the next “Lord of the Rings” movie, 2027’s “The Hunt for Gollum,” but he is making it known that he does not want any other actor taking over the part. As Wood recently told The Sunday Times: “I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo as long as I’m alive and able.” The actor’s quote was published amid unconfirmed reports that Leo Woodall could be taking over the role of Aragorn from Viggo Mortensen in the new film.
“It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag. So there is a good chance,” Wood added about his potential Frodo return. “I’m not able to officially say anything until it’s announced, but I will say I’m thrilled with the prospect of another film. It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together.”
“I can also recognise what fun that is going to be — when you are in the cinema, and you see the hat turn around, and it’s Gandalf,” Wood added. “Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together.”
Warner Bros. first announced “The Hunt for Gollum” in summer 2024 and originally said it would be ready for theatres in 2026. It then got delayed to December 2027. Andy Serkis is directing the tentpole and once again starring in the title role, which he’s been playing via motion capture since 2002’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny,” Wood previously told ScreenRant in January about coming back as Frodo. “I’m not really allowed to confirm. I’m really excited about the film. I think it really is a creative ‘getting the band back together.’ A lot of the creative heads of department are back and in that space again. Philippa [Boyens] I think, is co-writing it and producing it. It’s very much that core original group getting back together to tell this story that will feel like a really fun exploration of this character that we all love so much. And I’m just really excited.”
“I’m excited for Andy [Serkis] to direct it,” Wood continued. “It feels so unbelievably appropriate that he directs a film about his character that he has really made his own. I’m thrilled. It’ll be great. And I’m excited to see… I know their intention is to make other films in this universe. And that’s exciting, interesting to see where that goes, but very exciting.”
Peter Jackson, who directed “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, is producing “The Hunt for Gollum” with longtime “Rings” collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. Warner Bros. stressed when announcing “Gollum” that the trio “will be involved every step of the way.” Boyens previously told Empire magazine that “The Hunt for Gollum” is “quite an intense story” that “falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines of Moria. It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”
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“The Hunt for Gollum” will open in theatres Dec. 17, 2027.
From Variety US