My thoughts on the new Lord of the Rings film The Hunt for Gollum.
So, if you have or haven't heard the news, we are getting a new Lord of the Rings movie with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Andy Serkis returning to the franchise. Peter Jackson will produce and write the film while Andy, aka Gollum, will direct and star. Andy is a good director, and even though most of his movies are mixed by critics and audiences, he knows this character better than anyone. Andy also has unfinished business with that stinker, one of the writers said.
Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh are also coming back, so you know this movie is in good hands with people who respect Tolkien's work, unlike the Rings of Power writers. Andy even called these three writers the Guardians of Middle Earth because like I wrote before they know how to respect and honor Tolkien's work. How to properly adapt on screen.
Many people who heard this news at first thought we were getting a film set in the First Age based on the Silmarillion or Second Age. We're not getting another film set around the Third Age, and it's a story about Aragorn hunting for Gollum. It's a short story, and a fan film was made about it. It was a good movie; you should watch it on YouTube. From what I know, the story will have Gollum, Aragorn, Gandalf, and Legolas's father King Thranduli.
I know some people are worried that this could be another Hobbit but I don't think it will be.
The story won't just be about Aragorn hunting Gollum to learn more about the One Ring; I think the film will also explore Gollum's origins.
In Return of the King, we see the character Stoor and how he killed his cousin to get the Ring. We never see his family, and what he did got him banished from his home. We know in the opening of the film, Gollum says they cursed us, called him a murderer, and drove him away. So we know he was banished for using the Ring to steal, to find out secrets to use them for his own benefit, and they found out he killed Deagol. So I can see them exploring that and showing him leaving his cave to find the Ring.
Exploring Smeagol's origins and meeting his grandmother, who led these stoor hobbits in the Gladden Fields, will be interesting. We will likely get some original characters who are stoor hobbits and who were family and friends with Smeagol until the Ring. This film's tragedy is that no one in Smeagol's family or friends ever tried to help him with the Ring. Unlike Bilbo and Frodo, who were helped by friends with the Ring, sadly, he didn't get that. Smeagol's life is a sad story.
Aragorn will be in the film, but Viggo will not play the character in this film. He is now 65 years old. My friend and I talked about it, and they will likely recast the character with a new actor. I hope whoever they cast he closely resembles Viggo. This film could also show Aargorn's time as a ranger; we see him as Chief of the Dundien Rangers. That would be cool. Also, one of my friends suggested that Viggo could be Aragorn's father in a flashback scene. That would be cool.
Gandalf will be in this film, and even though Ian McKellen is now 84 years old, I can see him returning.
Even Ian said once he wanted to play Gandalf one last time, and this movie is the opportunity. So it's likely Ian will get to play Gandalf one more time in this film.
Now they have also announced a second film. I hope it's not part 2 of the Hunt of Gollum because you can make that into one solid film. If you ask me, they should adapt the Battle of Dale during the War of the Ring. In the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Legolas mentions that war has already marched on Erebor. So, the next film should explore this storyline.
(Google Image)
The Battle of Dale is when Sauron sends the majority of the Eastern Army to Dale to take the Lonely Mountain and prevent any aid to Gondor. This story focuses on Bard's grandson and King Dain Ironfoot as they fight to protect their homes against the Easternlings. This would be a cool storyline adapted, and we could see the Easterlings' point of view in this film. This is just a suggestion because you can tell the Hunt for Gollum in one film, not two.
I'm also excited to watch The War of the Rohirrim, which looks promising. Miranda Otto is coming back to narrate the film, too.
So I'm very excited about these two films but not Rings of Power Season 2. You know how I feel about that show; I'm not fond of it at all. It had writers and producers who just wanted to add their own agendas to Tolkien's work, especially when they said they wanted it to reflect the real world. They made too many changes to the lore that don't work at all.
To anyone who likes that show, that's fine; I don't like it, and if you like it, that's fine.
That's my thoughts on the upcoming new Lord of the Rings movie. I am excited about this film, and I hope it's good. It's in good hands, and I hope it delivers in 2026. So, what do you think? Are you excited for this upcoming film? Let me know.
Before I end this, like many others, I was hoping for adaptions of stories from the First Age. Unfortunately, that's a no-go because of the Tolkien Estate. They are very protective of the rights of Tolkien's other work.
It would be cool to see a Beren and Luthien movie, The Children of Hurin, The Fall Of Gondolin, or even a War of Wraith movie. We may get that someday.
