New 'Lord of the Rings' film announced for 2026 release
What's the story
In a thrilling development, Warner Bros. Discovery has announced two new films in The Lord of the Rings franchise.
The first film, tentatively titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, will be directed by Andy Serkis, who previously voiced Gollum in the original trilogy.
It is targeting a release in 2026.
The screenplay will be written by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.
Reunion
Serkis expressed excitement about the new 'LOTR' project
Serkis, who will both star in and direct the upcoming film, expressed his enthusiasm about returning to Middle Earth.
In a statement, he said, "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."
The Oscar-winning team behind the original trilogy also released a joint statement expressing their eagerness to work with Serkis again.
Team
Peter Jackson is involved in the project, too
Warner Bros.'s CEO David Zaslav confirmed that new Lord of the Rings movies are currently in development and will "explore storylines yet to be told."
The original director of the franchise, Peter Jackson, will be involved in "every step of the way" for these new films.
Jackson's previous work on the LOTR trilogy earned him multiple nominations for awards including Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs.
No other cast members have been announced yet.
Legacy
'The Lord of the Rings' franchise's historic success
The Lord of the Rings franchise, including The Hobbit, reportedly ranks among the top 20 highest-grossing franchises.
The final installment, The Return of the King, won 11 Oscars, tying with Ben Hur and Titanic for the most Academy Awards in history.
This brought the trilogy's total to 16 awards.
Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema will release the new films.
Information
Meanwhile, revisit films in the 'LOTR' universe
The films in the LOTR trilogy include The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2022), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). The Hobbit trilogy comprises The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies (2014).