Los Angeles, California — Gollum will make his much-anticipated return to theaters for the Christmas season of 2027. Warner Bros. has announced that “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” will premiere on December 17, 2027. Alongside this release, the studio has also set dates for upcoming films: the new “Evil Dead” installment, featuring Souheila Yacoub, will debut on July 24, 2026, while M. Night Shyamalan’s latest project, “Remain,” is slated for October 23, 2026. The cast of “Remain” includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, and Ashley Walters.
The timing of Gollum’s return is in keeping with a long-standing tradition of releasing entries in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” series around the holiday season. Films from both these trilogies have historically launched in December, contributing to a staggering global box office total of approximately $2.9 billion.
Initial announcements regarding “The Hunt for Gollum” were made last summer, with the film originally projected to hit theaters in 2026. However, the release has now been delayed by a year. Andy Serkis, who has portrayed Gollum through motion capture since 2002’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” will serve as both director and lead actor. Serkis has previously directed films such as “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.”
The film’s production team includes the original architects of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy—Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens—ensuring that their creative vision will guide the project. Warner Bros. has emphasized that Jackson and his collaborators will be actively involved throughout the production process.
Boyens has characterized “The Hunt for Gollum” as “quite an intense story,” set in a specific period between Bilbo’s birthday celebration and the journey into the Mines of Moria. This narrative promises to explore previously untold elements of Middle-earth through Gollum’s unique perspective. There has been speculation about the return of original cast members like Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and Viggo Mortensen, who have all expressed interest in reprising their roles provided the story allows for it. However, no additional casting details have been finalized yet.
The “Lord of the Rings” franchise last reached theaters in December 2024 with the animated film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.” “The Hunt for Gollum” will mark the franchise’s first live-action feature since “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” was released in 2014, re-igniting the excitement surrounding this iconic saga.