First Plot Details Revealed for Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

The first plot details for Andy Serkis‘ The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum have been revealed by Knight Edge Media. The film centers on Gollum, covering the period from the end of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to the beginning of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. It will begin with Gollum losing the One Ring to Bilbo Baggins and include flashbacks from his time as a young Stoor.

Directed by original cast member Andy Serkis, produced by Peter Jackson, and written and produced by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the creative team behind the Oscar-winning trilogy, this live-action movie bridges the beloved films with new characters, returning heroes, and a deeply engaging origin story that resets the stage for and changes everything you know about the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Here’s the plot details for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum:

Before the Fellowship, one creature’s obsession holds the key to Middle-earth’s survival or its demise.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we meet young Sméagol, an outsider drawn to trinkets and mischief, long before the One Ring consumed him and began his tragic descent into the tortured, deceitful creature Gollum. With the Ring lost and carried away by Bilbo Baggins, Gollum finds himself compelled to leave his cave in search of it. Gandalf the Grey calls upon Aragorn, still known as the ranger Strider, to track the elusive creature whose knowledge of the whereabouts of the Ring could tip the balance toward the Dark Lord Sauron.

Set in the shadowed time between Bilbo’s birthday disappearance and the Fellowship’s formation, this perilous journey through Middle-earth’s darkest corners reveals untold truths, tests the resolve of its future king, and explores the fractured soul and backstory of Gollum, one of Tolkien’s most enigmatic characters.

In a recent interview with ScreenRant, Ian McKellen confirmed that he will be reuniting with Frodo Baggins in the movie.

McKellen said, “It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum.” He added, “But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed.”

Cast Details for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum:

• Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf
• Andy Serkis as Gollum

Filming will begin in July 2026 in New Zealand, with the working title Juicy throughout production.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will hit theaters on December 17, 2027.