Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Elessar in director Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Andy Serkis says they’re looking for a new actor to play Aragorn.
Viggo Mortensen is not returning to the role for ‘The Hunt for Gollum’.
The movie will shoot in New Zealand this year.
Though ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ features some of the familiar key creative types behind the scenes (including Andy Serkis directing and playing the titular creature and franchise overseer Peter Jackson producing), there will be a key change in front of the camera.
News arrives that Viggo Mortensen, who played the heroic, destiny-heavy Aragorn in the first three ‘LOTR’ movies, is not reprising the role for ‘Gollum’.
“I don’t know what’s out there at the moment, but I know there’s a lot of speculation, but let’s just say we are recasting the role and we are on the way to finding someone.”
While Mortensen won’t be back, Kate Winslet has joined the cast and original franchise stalwarts Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and others are all rumored to return.
When will ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ be on screens?
Warner Bros. and New Line currently have a December 17, 2027 slot ready for this one.
(L to R) Sean Austin, Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
List of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
(Left) Kate Winslet stars in ‘Lee’. (Right) Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Preview:
Kate Winslet’s in talks to star in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’.
Andy Serkis is directing and playing a spindly creature.
The movie will shoot in New Zealand this year.
There’s an exciting update following 2024’s news of Gollum acting veteran Andy Serkis stepping into the director’s chair for a new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie.
With the movie set to shoot across several months this year in New Zealand, Winslet will be relocating to film her scenes.
She joins Serkis (who is back in the performance capture gear once again to bring Gollum to life) and a rumored Elijah Wood (as Frodo) and Ian McKellen (as Gandalf).
What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’?
Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Deadline’s latest report brings fresh plot details: the new film follows Aragorn’s perilous quest to capture Gollum before the creature can reveal the Ring’s location to Sauron.
There’s no word yet on whether Viggo Mortensen will be back as Aragorn, but Peter Jackson’s involvement as producer will surely entice as many of the original cast (who make sense, and feature in the story) back as needed.
When will ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ be on screens?
Warner Bros. and New Line currently have a December 17, 2027 release slot ready for this one.
(L to R) Sean Austin, Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
List of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
Disney and Marvel have shifted the release dates for the next two ‘Avengers’ movies.
‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’ are moving from their May slots to December premieres.
Dates for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and ‘The Dog Stars’ were also confirmed.
Turns out, making two giant ‘Avengers’ movies back to back is going to take a little longer than originally thought.
Disney and Marvel have announced that the next two team-up films from the comic book behemoth are now set to arrive a little later in theaters than originally planned –– ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is shifting from a planned May 5th, 2026 slot to December 18th, 2026.
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Likewise, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will now decamp from a May 5th, 2027 release date to –– you guessed it! –– December 18th that year.
Clearly, directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo have decided the new movies will require some more work than they figured. Which honestly, is no bad thing –– better to wait and get it right in the hopes of an ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’-level success, than pump out something quickly.
The sprawling cast for at least the first movie (we’re expecting several to appear in both) was first announced in a viral video Marvel put online showing director’s chairs with the actor’s names on them.
Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Finally, because you can’t really have ‘Doomsday’ without Doom, Robert Downey Jr. is making his big MCU return, this time playing classic ‘Fantastic Four’ villain Doctor Doom.
We’re sure more cast will be announced before ‘Doomsday’ arrives, but Disney has more time to get the message out.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
What other movie release dates were announced?
Director James Cameron at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
In a Thanos-like snap, three Marvel dates have disappeared from the calendar completely. The place holders for February 13th, 2026, November 6th, 2026, and November 5, 2027, have all been removed from Disney’s calendar, pointing towards the result of Marvel’s commitment to quality over quantity.
It wasn’t all Marvel changes –– Disney also confirmed the dates for some of the movies headed our way via its 20th Century Studios, including Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller ‘The Dog Stars,’ starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin. That one will be released on March 27th, 2026.
Then there is sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ which will see the return of Meryl Streep‘s imperious magazine editor Miranda Priestly as she navigates the challenges of the declining print industry. The comedy drama sequel is due on May 1st, 2026.
While Marvel usually prefers to keep its secrets close (at least, closer than the current government seems to manage), there is also the conflicting compulsion to promote the next movie in its sprawling cinematic universe, ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘.
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We’ve known for a while that the Avengers will be back to face the threat of Victor Von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), but the rest of the cast was largely in the realm of speculation, even for those who have been part of the MCU family for years.
The company used a livestream to confirm who will show up in the new movie, consisting of footage of the backs of director’s chairs featuring the cast names.
We’re happy to see Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Any surprises? We’re not sure we predicted Tenoch Huerta Mejia –– who played Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ coming back, but his chair is among the others (not dripping with water –– missed joke opportunity there!).
(L to R) Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in ‘The Marvels’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Lewis Pullman, who is introduced as a character called “Bob” (but who has since been revealed to be powerful character Sentry) in ‘Thunderbolts*’ is also listed. So we’re guessing his character –– who also appears to be an antagonist in the movie given the new trailer –– factors in somehow.
Last, but by no means least, the doors to the cavernous soundstage holding all the chairs opens up, and in strides Downey Jr., who sits in his own named chair and puts his finger to his lips. It’s over!
We’re sure there will be other announcements to come –– the company loves to hold back cameos and other roles, so we’ll have to wait and see if Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo spoil the appearances or if an official press release arrives in due time.
If you’re desperate to see the Livestream, please click on the video player at the top of the page.
The new movie is now kicking off shooting in London, with Marvel veteran directors Joe and Anthony Russo –– who count the giant two previous Avengers outings ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ on their shared resume –– back marshalling the chaos that is a team-up movie on this scale.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Avengers: Doomsday’: The Russos talk Robert Downey Jr.
Of course, one of the biggest plot elements for the new movies has already been revealed on Marvel’s terms, with Robert Downey Jr. taking the stage at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con to confirm he’s playing Victor Von Doom.
And according to the directors he’s very involved in helping to shape the character.
“It’s a very intense process developing the character. He’s so immersed in it. He is so dialed in. That’s the kind of artist he is. That’s the kind of actor he is. He just loves really rich three-dimensional characters and I think he sees a real opportunity here with that character.”
And following ‘Doomsday,’ we’ll see ‘Secret Wars’…
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
When will the next two ‘Avengers’ movies head to screens?
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
Opening in theaters on September 13th, ‘The Critic’ adapts Anthony Quinn’s novel ‘Curtain Call’ for the story of a legendary (and legendarily hard to please) theatre critic who looks to escape irrelevance by cooking up a blackmail scheme.
Yet despite boasting a quality cast anchored by British National Treasure Ian McKellen, the movie surrounding them feels like a lackluster effort more at home on PBS than up against big screen thrillers.
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Does ‘The Critic’ have the write stuff?
The world of theatre criticism is one you would think is bursting with the possibility of intrigue, infighting and –– at least in this case –– Faustian pacts between those who walk the stage and those who assess their work for the masses.
Sadly, despite that compelling setup, ‘The Critic’ rarely rises above the level of a quiet, quaint TV movie. And that’s even with the likes of Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton and Mark Strong providing good work as the leads.
(L to R) Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton in ‘The Critic’. Photo: Lionsgate.
The weakest link here might be the screenplay, and that’s a real shame. With source material from Anthony Quinn’s novel and a script by Patrick Marber (who has been behind the far more impressive like of ‘Closer,’ and ‘Notes on a Scandal’), ‘The Critic’ nevertheless charts its course in the most languid fashion imaginable.
There is nothing wrong with a film made almost entirely up of scenes of actors in rooms talking if the dialogue crackles and there is real wit or energy on display. Yet the cast struggle with some truly stultifying moments, the whole movie lying around them like a sodden sheet.
While we’re not expecting car chases or big action set-pieces from the leading man (though we’re not sure what his excuse is given that the 93-year-old June Squibb went all ‘Mission: Impossible’ in this year’s ‘Thelma’), there really needed to be more passion on display here.
Director Anand Tucker, meanwhile (a veteran of movies such as ‘Hilary and Jackie’ and ‘Shopgirl’) never quite finds the right tone to really make this one work. Visually, the film is impressively staged, and a few scenes make good use of light and shadow, but it can’t stop the whole thing seeming flat and uninspired.
Performances
McKellen is our focus here, but he’s not alone in performing well despite the script instead of because of it.
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Ian McKellen in ‘The Critic’. Photo: Lionsgate.
McKellen can knock this sort of character out in his sleep, and there are times that he really brings the screenplay to life. Erskine is an interesting enough character –– a bon vivant and influencer before the term was ever really used, he’s a fading peacock of a man, used to his limited level of power and, when the situation changes, struggling with his place in society as the homophobia of the time creeps in on him.
Gemma Arterton
Gemma Arterton in ‘The Critic’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Arterton might not be on McKellen’s level, but she certainly has some spikiness and impressive emotion as Nina Land, the actress seemingly resigned to a less-than-satisfying career in the theatre at the mercy of critics such as Erskine. She plays well off of McKellen and Strong, but rarely gets enough of a chance to shine on her own terms.
Mark Strong as David Brooke
Strong has always been a reliable character actor, and here he is handed a slightly meatier role as the media mogul finding his feet following his father’s death, who becomes ensnared into Erskine’s scheme. With his conflicted nature, he’s more than just a victim.
(L to R) Alfred Enoch and Ian McKellen in ‘The Critic’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Playing Erskine’s secretary and lover, Enoch doesn’t have as much to do as the rest, but he does get a few decent scenes, largely playing off of McKellen, but given the chance to make his mark later in the movie.
Supporting cast
Tucker has certainly loaded the film with good actors in small roles; Lesley Manville is fine as Nina’s mother, Annabel, while Ben Barnes and Romola Garai play David Brooks’ son-in-law and daughter, who have their own drama going on. The only downside is that the script never quite makes room for all the characters it has to juggle, so they are often underserved.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton in ‘The Critic’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Given the talent involved, particularly in front of the camera, you would hope for better than this film, which tends to meander when it should be raising your pulse. There are some minor pleasures to be found –– McKellen in particular is entertaining, but most critics would probably not give this one a glowing review.
‘The Critic’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘The Critic’?
Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) is the most famous and feared theatre critic of 1930s London. But his decades of dominance are under threat: the outlet for which he works, The Daily Chronicle, is under new ownership following the death of its owner.
The new boss, the previous owner’s son, David Brooke (Mark Strong) is looking to make sweeping changes, adjusting the paper’s political outlook and sweeping out some of the older writers. And Jimmy’s outspoken behavior and homosexual lifestyle don’t fit with the “family values” image Brook is looking to portray.
But when Jimmy notices that Brooke is particularly taken with fetching actress Nina Land (Gemma Arterton) at a performance, he concocts a plan: he’ll help Nina with her career if she’ll entice Brooke into blackmail scheme so Jimmy can secure his job. But as the twists and turns pile up, things turn dangerous –– and then tragic.
Who else stars in ‘The Critic’?
The cast also includes Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes, Romola Garai, Alfred Enoch and Beau Gadson.
‘The Critic’ opens in theaters on September 13th. Photo: Lionsgate.
With ‘LOTR’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movie trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson producing the new output (more on that below), things are clearly in the works.
And now Sir Ian McKellen, the venerable British actor who so memorably played wizard Gandalf the Grey (and Gandalf the White) in Jackson’s movies, has spoken to magazine The Big Issue about his potential return to the franchise.
What has Ian McKellen said about possibly returning as Gandalf?
Ian McKellen as Gandalf in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Here’s what McKellen had to say:
“I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I’ll be playing him. When? I don’t know. What the script is? It’s not written yet. So they better be quick!”
And he’s only partly joking, since the 82-year-old is recuperating from a nasty fall while performing on stage in England, and the injuries he sustained have him in a reflective mood.
This was what he said about his status:
“I’m left feeling weak physically, which I’m doing exercises for. And, of course, it’s emotional. We all trip all our lives, it’s just when you get to my age you can’t always get up again. I’m just trying to convince myself it was an accident. I’m usually working or preparing to work, I’ve been doing a little bit of that, wondering what might be the best plan. I’m going to take the rest of the year off. Not because I need to, just because I want to.”
While it appears that Peter Jackson is not currently planning to direct either film, he will be deeply involved in the movies’ development.
Working alongside him, as they have since the beginning, are collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who will write the scripts for the films.
And another key player in the ‘LOTR’ franchise, Andy Serkis –– who regularly squeezed into performance capture suits to play slinky Ring-coveter Gollum, is also back, and he’s aboard to direct the first confirmed movie, which is perhaps fittingly (working) titled ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’.
Serkis will also be getting back into his performance capture rig to star as the titular creature.
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What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’?
Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Warner Bros. wouldn’t be drawn on specifics just yet, but let’s be honest… It kind of speaks for itself. And there is at least one section of Tolkien’s work that focuses on just such a search (Aragorn is the unlucky person tasked with tracking down the riddle-spinner).
As for the other movie? That’s even more of a mystery for now, but the studio has said it’ll dig into unexplored stories.
When will the new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies be in theaters?
The plan for at least one of the new movies is for it to be in theaters by 2026.
But before any of the in-development projects come to fruition, we’ll see animated outing ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ landing in theaters on December 13th.
Ian McKellen as Gandalf in ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Other ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
25 years ago, iconic pulp hero The Shadow made the leap to the big screen. The result wasn’t the smash success fans and studios execs were hoping for, but the movie is still an important reminder that Batman wasn’t the first vigilante detective on the block. Celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary by learning more about the making of the odd and deeply underrated “The Shadow.”
1. Like 1989’s “Batman,” “The Shadow” went through a prolonged period of development before finally seeing the light of day. Producer Martin Bregman originally bought the film rights in 1982.
2.Sam Raimi lobbied to direct the adaptation but was rejected. Raimi instead went on to create the Shadow-inspired “Darkman” instead.
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3. The version of the Shadow featured in the movie is intended to be an amalgamation of the classic radio and pulp magazine incarnations, drawing plot elements, lines of dialogue and powers from both.
4. Author James Luceno’s novelization delves even deeper into classic “The Shadow” mythology, including alluding to the fact that the hero’s true identity is Kent Allard, not Lamont Cranston.
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5. Production on “The Shadow” was set back after an earthquake destroyed the Hall of Mirrors set, forcing director Russell Mulcahy to shoot an abridged version of the climactic sequence.
6. Co-stars Tim Curry and Ian McKellen had worked together before, starring in the stage version of “Amadeus.”
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7.Chow Yun-fat was considered for the role of Shiwan Khan.
8. “The Shadow” was originally intended to serve as the start of a longer franchise and a major merchandising push. Those plans were abandoned due to its poor box office performance.
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9. Among the various tie-in products canceled was a “The Shadow” video game for the Super Nintendo console. The game was actually completed before its last-minute cancellation, and playable ROM files have been circulating the Internet for years.
The upcoming thriller “The Good Liar” might scare you off online dating.
Warner Bros. Pictures released a new trailer Wednesday, and it shows off stars Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen as a pair that meets online. The concerning part is that McKellen’s character, Roy, isn’t exactly looking for a love. He seeks out lonely and wealthy widow Betty (Mirren) with a con in mind.
The trailer shows Roy’s scheming. He tells a friend (Jim Carter) that he thinks Betty is worth nearly 3 million pounds.
“You bloody better bet I’m going to take it all,” the conman says.
Roy doesn’t seem to have planned for every possible scenario, though. The synopsis teases in part that he’ll be “surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life.” Watch the trailer below.
“The Good Liar” is written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Bill Condon. The film hits theaters Nov. 15.
It’s taken close to four decades to make its way to the big screen, but at long last, a “Cats” movie is finally due to hit theaters this year. And now, the long-gestating film has finished production.
Production company Working Title and the movie’s official Twitter page revealed the news on social media this week, tweeting out the jubilant news.
Universal has set the release date of December 20, 2019 for the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s award-winning musical. (Another Broadway musical, “Wicked,” was originally going to debut on December 20.)
“Dreamgirls” Oscar winner Hudson will play Grizabella and McKellen will reportedly play patriarch Old Deuteronomy.
Webber is reportedly writing a new song for the feature for Victoria, a perky white kitten. (Possibly played by Swift?)
Swift and Corden previously teamed up in a 2017 skit for “The Late Late Show” where he was one of her new backup dancers.
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The Tony-winning musical is based on the poems of T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.”
It opened in 1981 in London and went on to won 7 Tonys. It ran for a legendary 18 years on Broadway.
