Oscar-winning British acting legend tipped for leading role in The Lord of the Rings spin-off film

Kate Winslet is set to join the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Deadline reports that the Oscar-winning British actress has been cast as the female lead for the film, although her exact role is yet to be disclosed.

The publication adds that Andy Serkis and Peter Jackson – who will be producing the movie – “spent most of last year coaxing Winslet to appear” in the film, which requires the actress to uproot her family to New Zealand to film her scenes from late May through to October.

Winslet joins a cast that includes Serkis, who’s returning to play Gollum and also direct the film. Sir Ian McKellen is reprising his role as Gandalf, while Elijah Wood has been strongly rumoured to be playing Frodo Baggins again.

Speaking to The Sunday Times recently, Wood stopped short of confirming his return but noted: "I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo as long as I’m alive and able."

Set between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, the new film follows Aragorn’s quest to hunt down the titular character before the creature can reveal the Ring’s location to Sauron

The Hunt for Gollum was first announced in May 2024, with Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealing that it is intended to be the first of a new batch of movies set within Middle-earth that will "explore storylines yet to be told".

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be released in cinemas on 17 December 2027.

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