New Gollum-Focused LOTR Movie Announced With Peter Jackson And Andy Serkis, Aiming For 2026 Release

During Warner Bros. Discovery's latest earnings briefing, CEO David Zaslav announced that a new Lord of the Rings movie is now in development. It's in the script phase, the executive said. WBD first announced its plans to make more Lord of the Rings movies back in 2023.

In news that may please fans of the series, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens--the architects of the Oscar-winning original trilogy--are involved in the new movie as producers. Details remain scant on the story, but Zaslav said it will tell a tale focused on Gollum within the Lord of the Rings universe.

A press release revealed that the working title for the film is Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Andy Serkis, who famously played Gollum in Jackson's trilogy, is coming back to play Gollum again and direct the film, according to Variety. Previously, Serkis said he would jump at the chance to come back and play Gollum again, and now that is coming true.

The new Lord of the Rings movie will "explore storylines yet to be told," adding that Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh are involved "every step of the way." Zaslav said Lord of the Rings is "one of the most successful and revered" franchises in film history, and he believes there continues to be a "significant opportunity" for the franchises from a theatrical perspective.

Zaslav also mentioned on the call that Lord of the Rings, as well as Harry Potter and DC, are "underused" within the company, which suggests it might be planning to leverage them further in the future. The executive has said the company will focus on its tentpole franchises and sequels going forward.

IGN reported that Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens said in a statement: "It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker--Gollum! As life long fans of Professor Tolkien's vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy, and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!"

Serkis said in a statement: "The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it's just all too delicious..."

Warner Bros. Discovery also confirmed that Hunt for Gollum is the first of two upcoming Lord of the Rings movies that are being made in partnership with Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens.

Prior to this, WBD announced a Harry Potter TV series. As for DC, James Gunn and Peter Safran are the new co-heads of DC Studios and have ambitious plans for the future of DC film and TV projects, beginning with a new Superman film in 2025.

LOTR fans don't have to wait until 2026 for a new entry in the film series, though, as an animated LOTR movie, War of the Rohirrim, is coming this December.

The Lord of the Rings movies from Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh earned billions at the box office and won numerous Academy Awards, including Best Picture for Return of the King. Jackson came back to the fantasy universe with a trilogy of Hobbit films. They also made gigantic sums of money at the box office, though these films were not as well received by fans.