Warner Bros. has unveiled new set photographs from the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, featuring the return of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins in Hobbiton.
The studio released the images on September 22 in celebration of Hobbit Day, an annual event observed by fans of author J.R.R. Tolkien. The newly published pictures offer a glimpse into production preparations, director Andy Serkis at work on set, and Wood returning to his signature role 25 years after first portraying the hobbit hero.
Hobbiton, the fictional Shire settlement inhabited by hobbits in Middle-earth, will serve as one of the primary filming locations for the new feature. The physical set, constructed in New Zealand for Peter Jackson's film adaptations, remains one of the most recognizable settings in modern fantasy cinema.
Cast and creative team
Director Andy Serkis is helming the movie while also starring as Gollum, the character he famously portrayed using groundbreaking motion-capture technology in Peter Jackson's award-winning film trilogy. Serkis has previously directed major feature films including Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle.
Elijah Wood first starred as Frodo Baggins in Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien's epic fantasy novel series, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. The original trilogy went on to win 17 Academy Awards and achieve massive worldwide box-office success.
Expanding the Middle-earth universe
In addition to Wood and Serkis, the new film will star Ian McKellen, who reprises his role as the wizard Gandalf. McKellen earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the character in the original film series.
The production also features Kate Winslet, the Oscar-winning star of Titanic, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, who has been cast in the role of an elf. Taylor-Joy is widely known for her starring roles in The Queen's Gambit and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Global theatrical release
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to open in theaters worldwide on December 17, 2027. The September 22 celebration of Hobbit Day traditionally coincides with the shared fictional birthdays of characters Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in Tolkien's literary lore.
