Hunt For Gollum’s Place on The Lord Of The Rings Timeline Reportedly Revealed

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A recent report clarified when Andy Serkis’ upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum, fits into the timeline of The Lord of the Rings, and confirmed that a key actor from the original trilogy will not be returning. The Lord of the Rings films are incredibly popular, particularly the original trilogy released in the early 2000s. So, fans were thrilled in 2024 to hear that Serkis would direct a movie focused on Gollum, with the original actor reprising the role. There was initial speculation that other actors from the original cast would also be involved, but it now appears that isn’t the case.

Details about the upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum, were shared online by The Fan of the Rings, stemming from a discussion on The One Ring Net on January 6, 2026. The conversation revealed when the movie will be set within the timeline of Middle-earth.

The report states that The Hunt for Gollum is set two decades before The Fellowship of the Ring. This means it will directly connect the stories of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, providing more background and filling in the timeline between those two series.

The movie is set twenty years before the events of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,’ and it connects the stories of ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’

Although it appears we have a straightforward timeline for the movie, some details are still unclear. The movie The Fellowship of the Ring doesn’t specifically state this, but the story shows that 17 years pass between Bilbo’s 111th birthday and Frodo’s departure from the Shire.

The movie gives the impression that Gandalf is away for a short time, but in Tolkien’s books, his absence is much longer. He leaves the One Ring with Frodo, departs the Shire, and spends years tracking Gollum with Aragorn. In fact, Gandalf is gone for a full 17 years before returning and tasking Frodo with his quest.

So, a key question is still unanswered: does The Hunt for Gollum happen twenty years before Bilbo’s birthday celebration, or twenty years before Frodo’s departure from the Shire?

Setting the movie 20 years before Bilbo’s birthday creates a problem: Aragorn and Gandalf would have hunted Gollum twice, which doesn’t fit with the story in the books. While the movies don’t have to follow the books exactly, this change feels inconsistent with the original lore.

Gandalf specifically mentions searching for Gollum when he returns to the Shire in The Fellowship of the Ring. He states that he “looked everywhere for the creature Gollum.”

Someone else knew Bilbo had the Ring. I searched all over for Gollum, but our enemies found him before I could.

Gandalf revealed that after leaving the Shire following Bilbo’s 111th birthday, he investigated the Ring and tracked down Gollum. This means the events in The Hunt for Gollum probably happen about 20 years before Frodo’s journey begins. The movie will likely start immediately after Bilbo’s birthday party and conclude when Gandalf comes back to the Shire.

Philippa Boyens, the screenwriter of The Hunt for Gollum, recently confirmed this idea. In an interview with Empire magazine, she explained the film is set between Bilbo’s birthday party and the journey to the Mines of Moria.

This story takes place between Bilbo’s birthday party and the journey through the Mines of Moria. It’s a fascinating piece of a larger, previously unknown tale, and it’s told from the unique viewpoint of a remarkable character.

As of writing, The Hunt for Gollum is slated to be released in 2027.

Which Lord of the Rings Actors Are Returning in The Hunt for Gollum?

As a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings, I was so excited when The Hunt for Gollum was announced! Like many others, I really hoped they’d bring back the original cast. And it’s happening! I’m thrilled to hear that Andy Serkis will be back as Gollum, alongside Elijah Wood as Frodo and, best of all, Ian McKellen as Gandalf. It really makes a difference when you have the actors who defined those roles returning to them.

The report indicates that a key role will be recast. Sadly, Viggo Mortensen won’t be reprising his role as Aragorn, son of Arathorn.

The report also mentioned that, at the time of writing, auditions for the role of Aragorn were being held in London.

I spoke with actual people over the weekend, and learned that the role of Aragorn is being recast. Auditions are being held this week in both London and New Zealand to find a new actor for the part.

The report showed the casting team is now focusing on discovering new, less well-known actors rather than hiring famous ones.

“What we’re hearing in London is that they’re also looking for unknown actors.”

Many fans have suggested actors like Sebastian Stan or Ben Barnes to take over the role. However, a new report indicates that both are considered too old for the direction the project, The Hunt for Gollum, is taking.

Sources involved in the casting process have indicated that Ben Barnes and Sebastian Stan are now seen as too old to play Aragorn.

The casting team is probably searching for an actor in their 30s to play Aragorn, given that the actors who played him in The Two Towers were both in their early 40s. Since Aragorn is 87 during The Two Towers, and The Hunt for Gollum is set about 20 years before the events of Fellowship of the Ring, he would be around 67 years old in that film.

Aragorn’s ancestors were Númenóreans, a people known for their long lifespans. That’s why he appears much younger than people of a similar age.

We should hear who’s been cast as Aragorn fairly soon. However, if the rumors are correct, the actor chosen will probably be someone new to big-budget films and television.

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2026-01-10 18:37