Warner Bros. has announced that a new Lord of the Rings movie is in the works with the key players from the original trilogy involved to shepherd the next installment in the franchise.
For the past few years, the studio has been working to revive the Lord of the Rings franchise and develop more movies based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien books.
The new films are not expected to have any connection to the Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, which is set thousands of years before the events of the novels.
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Andy Serkis to Direct New Lord of the Rings Movie, 2026 Release Set
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed this morning that they are working on a new Lord of the Rings movie. It is set for theatrical release in 2026.
The new installment titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will focus on Gollum with Andy Serkis set to direct and reprise his iconic role in the film. The project is currently in the early stages of script development.
Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will serve as the producers. Zaslav noted that they "will be involved every step of the way."
"For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision," Warner Bros. Pictures chairperson Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a statement.
"We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history."
It is the first of the two new Lord of the Rings films that Warner Bros. is currently working on, but the details regarding the second project are under wraps.
Warner Bros. is also working on a Lord of the Rings animated film titled The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim that is currently set for release on December 13, 2024.
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