Prepare to return to a familiar location in .
Andy Serkis is directing a new movie set in the world of Middle-earth, the popular fantasy setting of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It’s been 12 years since the last film, and production is now happening in New Zealand. Fans can expect to see familiar elements from Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy in this new installment, currently titled The Hunt for Gollum.
The official Hobbiton Movie Set Instagram page just announced that the upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum, will include scenes set in the Shire. They recently closed the Hobbiton set – a popular New Zealand tourist spot since 2002 – to film scenes for the new Lord of the Rings movie. You can see details below.
Fans noticed Hobbiton Movie Set was closed last week, and the reason is now clear: the set was being used for filming a new Lord of the Rings project, ‘The Hunt for Gollum,’ and the owners were reconnecting with the production team.
The team was excited to help with the movie’s production, and some even had fun appearing as extras in costume! To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the Hobbiton Movie Set will host a special event. Tickets will be available starting July 23 at 10am New Zealand Standard Time.
Located on a family farm roughly two hours from Auckland, the Hobbiton Movie Set looks just like it did in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films and immediately became popular with fans. Jackson also used this location to film his Hobbit trilogy in the early 2010s.
Peter Jackson is producing The Hunt for Gollum, and it looks like the new film will closely follow his vision for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. A recent teaser announcing the start of filming showed Andy Serkis as Gollum, used the music from the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, and featured the familiar scenery of New Zealand, all hinting that the filmmakers are trying to recreate the feel of Jackson’s earlier films.
The Hunt for Gollum will likely be set after The Hobbit and before The Fellowship of the Ring. The story focuses on Aragorn’s mission to locate Gollum and prevent him from leading Sauron to the One Ring. While Viggo Mortensen famously played Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s original films, Jamie Dornan will portray the character in this new installment.
Elijah Wood returns as Frodo, alongside Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Lee Pace as Thranduil. Joining them in The Hunt for Gollum are new cast members Anya Taylor-Joy as Seren, Kate Winslet as Marigol, and Leo Woodall as Halvard.
The new Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum, is set to release on December 17, 2027, and many details are still under wraps. It’s unclear how this movie will be different from Peter Jackson’s original trilogy. However, filming recently took place in Hobbiton, suggesting it will include familiar and beloved scenes and references.
2026-07-21 21:48