PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   Every detail we uncover about the new Lord of the Rings midquel, The Hunt for Gollum, comes to us reluctantly. When the film’s development was first revealed, it struck many as entirely unnecessary—and for some fans, each new update only deepens that impression. Andy Serkis directing and starring in The Hunt for Gollum (reprising his role as the title villain) is somewhat intriguing, but since the film is said to take place between The Hobbit series and The Fellowship of the Ring, it’s bound to step on the toes of the beloved original trilogy. Cast members who can return (like Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood) will do so, but others will need to be recast. Wood even appeared to confirm in a recent interview that Leo Woodall will play Aragorn—a move that feels like a necessary evil in every way.

Putting aside disappointments and Hobbit-like grumbling, it’s also a bit entertaining to watch the plot of this closely guarded film start to come together. With so little source material to draw from, every update feels like a key clue. Almost everything J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about Gollum’s past has already been adapted—except for some intriguing background in Chapter 2 of The Fellowship of the Ring — “The Shadow of the Past.” In those pages, Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring’s history and Gollum’s link to it; if you read those passages alongside the casting news, it’s almost as if we can already piece together what’s happening in the movie. In fact, some casting decisions might hint at the direction The Hunt for Gollum will take—at least initially.

Hunt for Gollum Casting Hints

Last March, Kate Winslet was officially cast in The Hunt for Gollum in an unknown role. Speculation has run wild about who she might portray, with two unconventional possibilities rising to the top: Gilraen the Fair (Aragorn’s mother) or Gollum’s unnamed grandmother. Both are referenced in Tolkien’s work, though briefly—Gilraen appears in his appendices, while Gollum mentions his grandmother in The Fellowship of the Ring. The latter character could offer fascinating glimpses into Gollum’s life before he found the One Ring or even went by the name Gollum.

Peter Jackson touched on Gollum’s origins briefly in The Return of the King, showing that he was once a Stoor-hobbit named Smeagol. While his backstory is covered quickly in that film, several details were omitted—such as how finding the One Ring affected his place in Hobbit society. Smeagol’s grandmother was likely the leader of their community and the one who banished him when his fixation on the Ring became too extreme. Centuries later, when Gandalf captured and interrogated Gollum, he claimed his grandmother had Rings of Power of her own. This is intriguing enough to warrant a feature film exploration, and it could be a key element of Serkis’ movie. Essentially, if you revisit “The Shadow of the Past” and examine the details, you’ll be persuaded that Winslet is playing Smeagol’s grandmother.

“The Shadow of the Past” Might Form the Basis of The Hunt For Gollum

Additionally, while fans might be disappointed that Viggo Mortensen isn’t being de-aged to play Aragorn, it’s highly probable that Woodall’s new portrayal of Strider won’t have a large role in the film. Aragorn’s part in the actual hunt for Gollum in “The Shadow of the Past” isn’t the entire story—Gandalf enlists Wood Elves to track Gollum at one point, which suggests this version of Aragorn may have minimal screen time. Moreover, if the film (or films) delve into Gollum’s backstory from hundreds of years earlier, Aragorn’s presence could be even more limited. (To clarify: here, we’re referring to “The Shadow of the Past” as the second chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring, not the working title of the upcoming Stephen Colbert Lord of the Rings movie, which is set after Fellowship.)

There’s still no confirmation on whether The Hunt for Gollum will kick off a two-part series, but regardless, a significant portion of it will likely cover Smeagol’s complete origin story. McKellen and Wood are both set to return as Gandalf and Frodo Baggins, respectively, but they’ll almost certainly be the ones recounting Gollum’s story years after the original trilogy’s events. Alternatively, we might get a version of “The Shadow of the Past” with de-aging effects. Either way, if the film uses that narrative frame, it will provide a familiar entry point to a side story while allowing The Hunt for Gollum to take some creative liberties with its plot.

Once more, this isn’t a story we absolutely need to hear—but if it’s going to be made, at least it could expand Middle-earth in a captivating new direction.

The Hunt for Gollum arrives in theaters on December 17, 2027.