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:
‘The Late Show’ host Stephen Colbert will co-write a ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie.
He’ll work with his son, Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens.
The working title is ‘The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past’.
While he’s a well-known Tolkien scholar and ‘Lord of the Rings’ superfan (who had a cameo in one of the ‘Hobbit’ movies), we still didn’t expect to see comedian and late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert actually writing a movie set in the world of Middle-earth.
What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the past’?
(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.
Here’s Colbert talking about the movie:
“The thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically chapters ‘Three Is Company’ through ‘Fog on the Barrow-downs,’ and I thought, Oh wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?”
Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Right now, the next ‘Rings’ movie to start production will be the Andy Serkis-directed ‘The Hunt for Gollum’, which has a December 17, 2027 release date on the books.
(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:
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ producer Philippa Boyens.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with writer and producer Philippa Boyens about ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’, returning to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, her vast knowledge of his work, the source material that inspired the movie, and the challenges of making an animated ‘Lord of the Rings’ film.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Boyens, Gai Wise, Laurence Ubong Williams, and director Kenji Kamiyama.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was it like for you to return to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and how did your vast knowledge of his work help inform you while making this animated movie?
Philippa Boyens: It’s been a joy going back. It’s been kind of a gentler sort of dipping my foot back in the waters kind of moment than having to stare down the barrel of a big, huge epic trilogy. So that was nice. Also getting to work with Kenji Kamiyama, who I think is a genius visual master, has been lovely because he had such a sense of what he wanted to reach for, but he was also, at the same time, collaborative. He’s a writer himself, and so that made the process of finding these characters, the process of looking at the pace of the film and the storytelling feel natural. He had a natural facility with it. So that side of it was easy. In terms of coming back into the world and bringing what knowledge I had of it with me, it was a sort of a little bit of a mixed bag. Because, sure, I had a depth of knowledge of how Tolkien tends to work on film, that heightened language and how to kind of use it, and what felt authentic and what didn’t feel authentic. Then said against that, I had absolutely zero understanding of anime, except beyond what a normal person would have received as an audience member. So that was a big learning curve for me, but it was kind of wonderful to experience. I must be honest and say there were lots of times when I would look at the boards and I was like, “I don’t know what I’m looking at. What am I looking at? I don’t understand.” There’s a different rhythm to cutting things in anime, which I’ve now fallen in love with and understand that process. I was coming very much with a live action eye, and then you begin to understand, “Oh wait, anime doesn’t work that way,” and that it’s more of a dance. It’s a dance that requires you to truly understand the form that you’re working in and that the way in which, you’re not going to be able to push in on live expression or eyes. So, it’s how Kamiyama moves the camera, how he moves the characters in relation to each other. Then I became obsessed with it because I would see these boards come to life, and it was slightly miraculous, and it was all so beautifully hand drawn.
MF: Finally, can you talk about creating the story for ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ and specifically what source material you drew from?
PB: So, we went into the appendices. Once they had asked us what we think about anime, this story immediately popped up into my mind. I went back to the appendices where there’s about two pages with a little bit more spread in a couple of other places in the appendices of this story of Helm Hammerhand. At the heart of this story, or at the very beginning of the conflict of this story, is an unnamed female character and, of course, immediately your mind starts thinking, “Wow, what if we named her? What if we followed her? What if we explored what she was going through?” Because she is the beginning of the conflict of the story. She starts as this point of contention between these two great Rohirrim Lords. One is a king, one is a pretender, probably, to the throne, or at least would see his son on that throne, and she has no agency in this moment. So, it was immediately, “Well, what would she feel? What is she thinking?” Then our next approach was to go back into some of the histories of women in medieval times, women who would’ve reflected some of the Anglo-Saxon nature of the Rohirric people that Professor Tolkien would’ve drawn threads from. As soon as we did that, there was a wealth of characters and women that you could look at and draw upon, and it just started to grow. I think a great story does that. It grows in the telling. Professor Tolkien, literally, said that himself. It’s the tale that grew in the telling.
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What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’?
‘The War of the Rohirrim’ adapts a story from the history of the kingdom of Rohan, described by writer J.R.R. Tolkien in the appendices to ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
This movie is set around 200 years before the War of the Ring, a.k.a. the conflict against Sauron detailed in Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ films.
We’re introduced to the legendary king known as Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox). When Freca (Shaun Dooley), the chieftain of neighboring Dunland proposes that his son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) wed Helm’s daughter Hèra (Gaia Wise), Helm reacts badly. He strikes Freca dead with a single punch and Wulf vows revenge.
A few years later, Wulf returns with an army of Dunlendings, and brings Rohan to its knees. Helm and his people seek refuge in the fortress that will one day be named Helm’s Deep in his honor.
Who is in the voice cast of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’?
And talking of the movies, which were produced and directed by Peter Jackson, we can expect future films from him and his collaborators in the future (more on that below).
That’s not all. In a new interview, Phillipa Boyens, who is a writer and producer on not just the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ movies, but also helped crafted the story for new animated spin-off film ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,’ talked up the possibility for other ideas coming to our screens.
What did Phillipa Boyens have to say about potentially more ‘LOTR’ movies?
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ producer Philippa Boyens.
Boyens, who has been a key part of the ‘Rings’ movie team for years, sat down to discuss ‘War of the Rohirrim’ in particular and signaled that if the anime story is embraced by audiences, we could be seeing future stand-alone entries.
“There’s a lot of possibilities, when you look at it, there’s a lot of things in there, actually,” she said. “One of the things this ‘War of the Rohirrim’ story has shown us is that a stand-alone story works really successfully within the world of Middle-earth, and I would genuinely — because I’ve fallen in love with the form — love to see another anime. But that depends on the audiences out there, your audience, fans of not only the original trilogy, but that vast anime audience. I’m really interested to see what they think.”
Boyens also said that the ‘LOTR’ team has a wealth of ideas to work on, many stand-alone films, potential sequels to ‘War of the Rohirrim,’ and another, larger, more epic trilogy in the vein of the original ‘LOTR’ films.
Here’s her comment on that:
“So we’re in the audiences hands. If there’s an appetite for it, we’ve got more stories. There’s a ton of stories left to be told there and some really, really interesting ones. But my preference would be, after ‘The Hunt For Gollum,’ would be to look at those stand-alone stories. And then if we got really ambitious — there are some epic, particular stories that could translate into that more traditional epic trilogy format that was the original ‘Lord Of The Rings,’ the war of the rings story.”
Who is making the new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies?
Peter Jackson, multiple Academy Award winner for his work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” poses with one of his Oscars in the press room during the 76th Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 29, 2004. Credit/Provider: HO. Copyright: AMPAS.
Did you catch that mention of ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ in Boyens’ last statement? Yes, they are making more movies! Here’s what we know about that…
Chief among the new team is one Peter Jackson –– you know, the man who brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories of Hobbits, Elves and other creatures to pop cultural behemoth status with his original trilogy of movies and then the ‘Hobbit’ adaptations.
While it appears that Jackson is not currently planning to direct either of the new planned live-action films, 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).
New ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies: The Creatives Speak
Peter Jackson accepts the Academy Award for Best Picture for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” during the 76th Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 29, 2004. Credit/Provider: HO. Copyright: AMPAS.
Here’s Jackson, Walsh and Boyes’ statement on their return:
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that stinker — Gollum. As life-long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
And here’s Serkis:
“Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious… .”
When will ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ be in theaters?
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,’ which tells how the legendary fortress of Helm’s Deep (seen in ‘The Two Towers’) got its name during a clash between tribes, will be in cinemas from December 13th.
More directly connected to Jackson’s adaptations than Prime Video’s ‘The Rings of Power,’ ‘Rohirrim’ takes as its basis a small chunk of J.R.R. Tolkien’s appendices, which detail a clash between forces that happens nearly 200 years before Frodo and co. enter the story.
If you’re a fan of Peter Jackson’s work who didn’t find ‘Rings of Power’ to be the Tolkien hit you needed (though the TV series has plenty to recommend it), ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ could be what you’re after.
It’s crafted in a style that should make fans of Miyazaki films in particular happy, and while the story is a fair bit more basic than anything from Studio Ghibli, it hits the right notes in terms of scale and adventure.
Script and Direction
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ producer Philippa Boyens.
The writers here have expanded upon what little about the earlier Rohirrim conflict they can, seizing on the unnamed warrior woman who is mentioned, and fleshing her out into the headstrong Hèra. She’s your archetypal, spirited young woman –– raised by a warrior king, she can ride a horse and swing a sword with the best of them, but is still limited by what she’s able to do (initially, at least) thanks to growing up in a patriarchal society.
It’s a thematic idea that will likely have plenty of resonance for at least a swathe of the audience, while those who are here for some ‘Rings’–style action will also find what they’re looking for. The story even has some nuance and unexpected moments layered within a fairly standard story of fighting feudal types and mystical creatures.
As director, Kenji Kamiyama guides his animation and technical team to impressively epic results, the sweeping landscapes of New Zealand (standing in, of course for Middle-Earth) are brought to life in effective form, while the characters are recognizably a blend of Tolkien and anime.
Performances
There is some impressive voice acting going on here, and while the focus is on a few characters, most of them have the chance to be rounded personalities.
Our main hero in the story, Wise makes Hèra a properly spirited young woman, who has a loving core but shields it with honor and practicality. She has a somewhat predictable arc, but she’s always compelling.
Aside from Wise, Pasqualino has the most to do –– he’s in love with childhood friend Hèra, but his feelings curdle after his father is effectively punched to death by hers in front of him. He makes for a solid, sometimes surprising villain in the Tolkien mold of ambition turned to darker emotions.
Ashbourne (who has a connection to the ‘Rings’ movies already since she’s married to Gollum actor Andy Serkis) is impressive as Hèra’s guardian, who reveals herself to be more than she initially appears (we won’t spoil it).
Miranda Otto narrates the opening chunk of the movie, letting us know where the story is set and introducing both Hèra and the concept of Shieldmaidens. The casting makes sense, since this is a return for Éowyn, as played by Otto in the ‘LOTR’ movies and feels like the character relating a story she herself would have heard. The rest of the ensemble all do good work bringing their various characters to life.
The story of a young woman whose exploits will be all but ignored by those who write the sagas about her family are certainly timely, and the movie brings Tolkien’s mythical tales back to the screen in a way that should please fans of the movies.
It’s sometimes a little trope-heavy and there is a weird quirk where half the family has strong Northern English accents, whereas Hèra and some others speak more neutrally. It’s a minor quibble, though, for a film that should tide us all over until the Jackson-produced and promised future movies arrive.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’?
‘The War of the Rohirrim’ adapts a story from the history of the kingdom of Rohan, described by writer J.R.R. Tolkien in the appendices to ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
This movie is set around 200 years before the War of the Ring, a.k.a. the conflict against Sauron detailed in Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ films.
We’re introduced to the legendary king known as Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox). When Freca (Shaun Dooley), the chieftain of neighboring Dunland proposes that his son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) wed Helm’s daughter Hèra (Gaia Wise), Helm reacts badly. He strikes Freca dead with a single punch and Wulf vows revenge.
A few years later, Wulf returns with an army of Dunlendings, and brings Rohan to its knees. Helm and his people seek refuge in the fortress that will one day be named Helm’s Deep in his honor.
Who is in the voice cast of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’?
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:
He had a close working relationship with writer/director James Cameron.
Landau helped shepherd movies including ‘Titanic’ and the ‘Avatar’ franchise.
Jon Landau, a respected film producer who is in large part responsible for James Cameron’s movies since ‘Titanic’ making it successfully to screens, has died after a cancer diagnosis. He was 63.
Landau, who had a passion for movies, was always a welcome, warm presence for members of the press on sets, where he was the biggest champions of the filmmakers with whom he worked, and frequently made himself available to tour sets and answer questions.
Born in 1960 in New York, he was the son of Ely A. Landau and Edie Landau, who owned Manhattan movie houses, founded the American Film Theater and produced more than a dozen films themselves.
Landau’s own path to cinematic history began at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
His early career saw him climb the ranks at 20th Century Fox, eventually becoming Executive Vice President of Feature Production. This period honed his producing skills, seeing him work on movies such as ‘Die Hard 2’, ‘The Last of the Mohicans’, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘True Lies’, which brought him into contact with director James Cameron.
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Jon Landau and James Cameron
Director James Cameron for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Landau and Cameron had such a successful working partnership on that film that when Landau decided to go back to producing himself, he received offers from three directors and opted to join Cameron to work on a project the filmmaker had codenamed ‘Planet Ice’.
The result, of course, was ‘Titanic’, which became a cultural phenomenon. Despite a monumentally (and well-documented) troubled production, the movie shattered box office records and garnered Landau his first Academy Award for Best Picture.
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Landau joined Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment company and the duo continued their successful partnership, with ‘Avatar’ surpassing ‘Titanic’ to become the highest-grossing film of all time (a record it held for a decade).
They continued to push cinematic boundaries with ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ (directed by Robert Rodriguez) and the recent ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ solidifying Landau’s position as a producer who consistently delivered visually stunning and commercially successful movies.
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Cameron sent a statement to Variety about Landau’s passing:
“The ‘Avatar’ family grieves the loss of our friend and leader, Jon Landau. His zany humor, personal magnetism, great generosity of spirit and fierce will have held the center of our ‘Avatar’ universe for almost two decades. His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal example he set — indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful and utterly unique. He produced great films, not by wielding power but by spreading warmth and the joy of making cinema. He inspired us all to be and to bring our best, every day. I have lost a dear friend, and my closest collaborator of 31 years. A part of myself has been torn away.”
Jon Landau Dies: Peter Jackson Pays Tribute
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’s Oscar winning producer Jon Landau.
Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, who in addition to their own filmmaking achievements, co-own Wētā FX, which crafts the effects for the ‘Avatar’ movies, paid tribute:
“We speak for the entire Wētā FX team when we say we are devastated by the loss of Jon Landau. Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry but also a cherished collaborator and friend. Jon brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on, and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come. Our deepest condolences are with Jon’s family and loved ones, as well as Jim and the Lightstorm Entertainment team.”
Landau is survived by his wife Julie, who once worked as a film accountant; sons Jamie, an actor, Jodie, a vocalist, composer and percussionist, two sisters, Tina Landau, a theater director, and Kathy Landau, executive director of the Manhattan arts organization Symphony Space; and half-brother Les Landau, a director on various ‘Star Trek’ series.
Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2. Photo: Prime Video.
Preview:
Rory Kinnear will play Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’
He joins the show for its second season.
‘The Rings of Power’ returns in August.
Thanks to the various J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations that have hit screens through the years (especially Peter Jackson’s successful pair of movie trilogies), we’ve had any number of characters parading across the screen. Aragorn. Gandalf. Frodo. Even Grima Wormtongue got his moment.
Yet one who has been shown no love –– even in the BBC radio play versions –– is Tom Bombadil. All that is set to change later this year, as the team behind Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ have revealed that British actor Rory Kinnear (probably best known for his role as Tanner in the recent Bond movies) will play the character in Season 2.
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Who is Tom Bombadil?
Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2. Photo: Prime Video.
Bombadil is a figure of unknown origin in Tolkien’s works who projects a timeless wisdom, often propelling characters in a direction to see things more clearly and helping them better understand the wide world around them.
In the lore, he claims to be as old as Middle-earth itself, possessing wisdom far beyond the reaches of others. Essential to the spirit of discovery and of the search for meaning, Bombadil is famously clad in yellow boots, blue jacket, and a feathered hat, and prone to enigmatic expressions in singsong verse.
You can sort of see why many filmmakers might have skipped over him. Yet the ‘Rings of Powers’ creators have decided to take on that challenge…
Here’s J. D. Payne on the character:
“He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale.”
And this is what his fellow executive producer Patrick McKay had to say:
“Weirdly, he’s kind of the most ‘Lord of the Rings’ thing in ‘Lord of the Rings.’ Tom is sort of a curiosity within that structure because while it is darker, Tom Bombadil is singing and saying lines that could be nursery rhymes from children’s poems. So, he sort of defies the tonal shift of the rest of the season and is a real point of light amidst an otherwise sea of darkness.”
Tom Bombadil: Rory Kinnear Talks
(Left) Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2. Photo: Prime Video.
This is what Kinnear had to say about playing Tom:
“There’s this sense of huge experience, huge openness, huge empathy, and having gone through so much that he knows it’s the small things that are important. That felt actually quite domestic, felt quite reachable in terms of my understanding of who he was.”
(Left) Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2. Photo: Prime Video.
In addition to the character showing up on TV, the tome ‘The Adventures of Tom Bombadil’ will be re-released in paperback by HarperCollins on August 20th, just ahead of the streaming series’ return.
Here’s Chris Smith, Tolkien Publishing Director at HarperCollins on the decision:
“It’s my hope that, with the introduction of Rory Kinnear’s portrayal of Tom Bombadil in ‘The Rings of Power’, audiences are inspired to learn more about this unique character beloved of generations of readers around the world and will delight in sharing in his many adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”
Everything’s coming up Bombadil!
When will ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ be back on our screens?
The series returns to Prime Video on August 29th.
Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Other ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
(Left) Peter Jackson, multiple Academy Award winner for his work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” poses with one of his Oscars in the press room during the 76th Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 29, 2004. Credit/Provider: HO. Copyright: AMPAS. (Right) Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Preview:
Peter Jackson is aboard to produce two new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies.
Andy Serkis will direct the first, ‘The Hunt for Gollum’.
Warner Bros. made the announcement, with a release planned for 2026.
We’ve known for some time that Warner Bros. and boss David Zaslav have been planning to dive into the studio’s back catalogue to rustle up new shows and movies based on known titles. A new series (at least one) based on ‘Harry Potter’ is also in the planning stages, and there are more moves afoot on the fantasy front. Big ones.
Yes, while the company already has one ‘Lord of the Rings’-based movie headed to screens later this year (animated conflict film ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’), Zaslav has now announced two live-action efforts with some hefty names attached.
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Who is making the new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies?
Peter Jackson accepts the Academy Award for Best Picture for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” during the 76th Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 29, 2004. Credit/Provider: HO. Copyright: AMPAS.
Chief among the new team is one Peter Jackson –– you know, the man who brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories of Hobbits, Elves and other creatures to pop cultural behemoth status with his original trilogy of movies and then the ‘Hobbit’ adaptations.
While it appears that 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.
What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’?
(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.
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).
What form exactly the new story takes remains to be seen, but it has already been adapted into a fan film and a card game.
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.
New ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies: The Creatives Speak
(L to R) Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, Academy Award winners for Best Picture for their work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” pose in the press room during the 76th Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 29, 2004. Credit/Provider: HO. Copyright: AMPAS.
Here’s Jackson, Walsh and Boyes’ statement on their return:
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that stinker — Gollum. As life-long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
And here’s Serkis:
“Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious… .”
Finally, this is the statement from Warner Bros. film bosses Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy:
“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision. We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ (working title), we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history.”
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.
What does this mean for Amazon’s future ‘Lord of the Rings’ plans?
Morfydd Clark (Galadriel) in Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ Photo: Courtesy of Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
As of right now, nothing: the two companies have different deals with the rights holders, Embracer Group AB. While Warner Bros. is focusing on movies (with ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ landing on December 13th), Amazon’s Prime Video service seems more interested on building out its TV universe, following the successful launch of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ in 2022. A second season has been filming and is due to land this year (though no official date has been provided yet).
But the new announcement is certainly giant-sized news for fans and a fair win for Warner Bros., since Jackson and the team are the people most closely associated with the movies’ success and the overall dominance of Middle-earth in the early 2000s. What the Tolkien family actually thinks is probably not so positive, but having sold the rights, they have little control these days over what the giant corporations do with the stories included in the different deals.
Now we just wait and see what happens with the new Warners movies. But one thing is clear: unlike the Elven folk, the adaptations of Professor Tolkien’s work are not planning to sail off to Valinor any time soon.
Director Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.
Other ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
