According to reports, Peter Jackson’s upcoming film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” will reportedly be split into two movies, aligning with Ian McKellen’s previous suggestion.
Warner Bros appears intent on perpetuating its habit of elongating Lord of the Rings films with its next endeavour, The Hunt for Gollum – something fans may recall was also done with The Hobbit, despite it not being substantial enough material-wise, yet the promise of profit remains a driving force. The potential for financial gain is substantial, as the forthcoming Gollum-centric film, announced earlier this year, is expected to be a two-movie series. The announcement comes directly from Ian McKellen, renowned for his portrayal of Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth epics, who recently appeared on ITV’s This Morning program to discuss his potential involvement in a forthcoming film adaptation.
The actor recently suffered an injury during a performance of the play he is currently starring in, prompting him to take a brief hiatus from work to recover, and subsequently being asked whether he will return to his role. “All I’m certain of is that they reached out and said these movies are going to happen, primarily because Andy Serkis, who played Gollum, is going to direct and there will be a script arriving sometime next year, after which I’ll decide whether or not I want to return,” McKellen shared, reiterating earlier comments. Upon being asked if a repeat visit could be limited to just one film, he revealed that his instructions dictated a definitive “two movies.”
Watch on YouTube
Although it’s not set in concrete, the development pace of that project may well shift dramatically over the next year, rendering any script written today potentially obsolete by then. It’s understandable that studios would consider expanding the story of Gollum, considering his complex and intriguing character. Perhaps exploring his backstory or the motivations behind his obsession with the One Ring could provide rich material for two movies.
