The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum gets December 2027 release date

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum now has an official release date. The highly anticipated film in the franchise is slated to arrive in theatres on December 17, 2027.Adding to the excitement, Andy Serkis, who brought Gollum to life in The Two Towers in 2002, will both direct and reprise his iconic role. The news was made official in by studio bosses who confirmed its release during the Christmas holiday season.This strategic timing aligns with the successful premieres of all six previous films in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, each of which also debuted in December, collectively amassing a staggering $2.9 billion at the global box office. While the prospect of a new Middle-earth adventure is thrilling for fans, the journey to its release has seen a slight adjustment. The Hunt for Gollum was initially announced in 2023, with Warner Bros. initially targeting a 2026 release. However, the studio has now revised the timeline, pushing the film's premiere to 2027. This delay is intended to provide the production team with ample time for thorough development and principal photography, ensuring a high-quality cinematic experience for audiences.Notably, Andy Serkis has prior directing experience, having helmed films such as Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Adding significant weight to the project is the involvement of Peter Jackson, the visionary director behind the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jackson will be collaborating closely with his longtime creative partners, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, on The Hunt for Gollum.The Hunt for Gollum marks a significant milestone for the franchise as it will be the first live-action Lord of the Rings film to grace the big screen since 2014's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. While fans were treated to an animated film set in Middle-earth, The War of the Rohirrim, which was released earlier in 2024, the return to live-action storytelling in this beloved universe is a highly anticipated event.