The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Can Finally Introduce Fatty Bolger

As a lifelong fan, I’m incredibly excited about this new movie! It’s a return to Middle-earth after over two decades, and it’s going to explore a really interesting side story. Andy Serkis, who basically is Gollum, is directing, and the film focuses on what the character was up to during the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. It’s going to be a deep dive into his journey, and I can’t wait to see it!

Fans can expect to hear more about The Hunt for Gollum soon, as the movie is currently scheduled to come out in 2027. While the cast hasn’t been revealed yet, rumors suggest we’ll see familiar faces like Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas. What’s particularly exciting is the potential for the film to introduce characters from Tolkien’s books that weren’t included in the original movies, such as a previously unseen Hobbit.

Who Is Fatty Bolger in The Lord of the Rings?

Many viewers of the Lord of the Rings films might be surprised to learn that a character named Fredegar “Fatty” Bolger appears in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original book. Like Frodo, Pippin, and Merry, Fatty is a Hobbit from the Shire and part of the adventurous Took family. In The Fellowship of the Ring, he’s one of Frodo’s closest friends and helps Frodo move to a new home, not realizing the move is actually a disguise for Frodo’s secret departure on a dangerous journey.

Fatty discovers the real reason for Frodo and Sam’s journey when they share the truth with a small group, making him one of only five Hobbits aware that Frodo carries the One Ring. He almost joins Frodo and the others on their quest, along with Merry and Pippin, but decides against it, worried about the dangers of the Old Forest. Instead, Fatty stays in Hobbiton and tries to explain his friends’ disappearance to the other Hobbits, who are increasingly curious about where they’ve gone.

Fatty doesn’t stay safe by hiding in the Shire. When the terrifying Nazgûl come to Hobbiton looking for Frodo and the Ring, they end up at the Bolger’s house. Fatty gets away and warns everyone, which makes the Black Riders flee and eventually leads to a showdown with Frodo and his companions in Bree. Later, during the events of The Return of the King, Fatty unexpectedly gets involved in the adventure again when…

When Fatty saw his home being destroyed by Saruman’s evil forces, he bravely led an attack, but was ultimately captured and imprisoned. He was freed when Frodo and his companions liberated the Shire, though his time in prison caused him to lose the weight that gave him his nickname. After the war, Fatty’s sister, Estella, married Merry Brandybuck, making Merry and Fatty brothers-in-law.

Fatty Bolger is a minor character in The Lord of the Rings. He appears briefly in The Fellowship of the Ring at Bilbo’s birthday party, and a character resembling him is seen with the Bolger family during Bilbo’s speech – many believe this is actually Fredegar. However, the films leave out the rest of Fatty Bolger’s story.

Fatty Bolger likely ended up with a small role because the movie already had so many characters. His extra presence wasn’t really needed for the story. Plus, several of the scenes where Fatty was involved – like Frodo moving to Crickhollow and the events surrounding the Scouring of the Shire – were cut. This meant there wasn’t a good reason to give Fatty a significant part in the films.

The Hunt for Gollum Could Introduce Fatty Bolger

The new film, The Hunt for Gollum, has a unique chance to expand on the story of The Lord of the Rings, bringing back characters and plotlines that were left out of the original movies, like Fatty Bolger. The film is expected to be set during the time when Fatty plays a significant role in Frodo’s journey. While details are still scarce, The Hunt for Gollum might revisit familiar locations like the Shire, allowing for a deeper exploration of characters who didn’t get enough screen time in the original trilogy.

If the upcoming Hunt for Gollum series is going to tell a compelling story, it should include the character Fatty Bolger. Although his role in helping Frodo move to Crickhollow doesn’t align with the movie timeline, other parts of his journey could fit. For example, his encounter with the Nazgûl—the Black Riders—could have easily happened during the events briefly shown in Peter Jackson’s films, when a Rider visited Hobbiton looking for the One Ring.

As a critic, I’ve always felt a missing piece in the extended Lord of the Rings story was a proper depiction of Fatty Bolger’s crucial role. The Hunt for Gollum has a real opportunity to show us that harrowing scene where he nearly meets his end while warning the Shire of the Black Riders – a moment that not only raises the stakes, but cleverly ties the timeline of this film back to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Honestly, showing those Black Riders in the Shire, and revisiting other moments from the original film, would be incredibly helpful in untangling the sometimes-complicated chronology of The Hunt for Gollum. And let’s be real, giving Fatty a chance to finally shine after being somewhat sidelined in the main trilogy? That’s a win for everyone.

How The Hunt for Gollum Can Incorporate More Elements From the Books

Fatty Bolger might not be the only familiar face returning in The Hunt for Gollum. The movies left out several characters from Tolkien’s books, including a key figure who played a role in Frodo and the Hobbits’ initial escape from the Shire.

It took more than twenty years, but the character finally appeared in live-action form in Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, with Rory Kinnear in the role. While many fans were upset that Bombadil wasn’t included in The Fellowship of the Ring, because of the timeline in The Hunt for Gollum, he could potentially show up in the new spin-off series.

Some fans might be skeptical about the new Lord of the Rings spinoff movies, but The Hunt for Gollum could reassure them by expanding on the story, even including details that weren’t in Peter Jackson’s films. Characters like Fatty Bolger and Tom Bombadil, who didn’t make it into the original movies due to time constraints, could finally have their moment, giving fans even more to look forward to with The Hunt for Gollum.

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2026-03-07 19:10