Kate Winslet is on an adventure from Pandora to Middle-earth.
The popular actress, who recently appeared in James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ashes,” is currently in talks to appear in “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.” She will join Andy Serkis, reprising her role as Creature from the original trilogy, and will also direct. Warner Bros. has not revealed who will appear in the next film, but Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen are rumored to be reprising their roles as Frodo Baggins and Gandalf, respectively.
Peter Jackson, who adapted JRR Tolkien’s novel into a film, is producing The Hunt for Gollum with creative partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyen. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said on the company’s 2024 earnings call that they will be “involved every step of the way.”
The project will reunite Winslet with Jackson, who directed 1994’s Heavenly Creatures.
“The Hunt for Gollum” is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 17, 2027. Plot details have not been confirmed, but the story is said to take place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Warner Bros. is in the process of selling the film to Paramount Skydance, which could disrupt the studio’s development plans. However, The Lord of the Rings is one of Warner Bros.’ best film franchises, so the potential merger is unlikely to disrupt plans for The Hunt for Gollum. The Lord of the Rings and its prequel series, The Hobbit, have been major box office successes, with each trilogy grossing approximately $2.8 billion worldwide.
