The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum cast – Who stars in the upcoming prequel?

It’s been nearly 25 years since Peter Jackson closed out The Lord of the Rings trilogy with the momentous Return of the King, and over a decade since The Hobbit trilogy ended.

Now, Jackson and co are readying another return to Middle Earth in the The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt of Gollum.

The film, which will be directed by Andy Serkis, is set between the events of both trilogies and follows Strider, aka Aragorn, on a quest to find Gollum before he can reveal the rings location to Sauron.

Peter Jackson returns to the world of Middle Earth, this time only as a producer, while acclaimed writers Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, who co-wrote all six films in both of Jackson’s trilogies, team up with writers Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou to pen the script.

Since the film was announced, fans have speculated on the cast, trying to unpack who might return and who might be recast.

Actors like Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood have made it no secret that they would like to return to their roles, but there has been much online discussion around the return of Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn.

Due to the films place in the timeline, it was always likely that a younger actor would need to be cast to play Aragorn, which was reiterated by Serkis when he confirmed that they were recasting the role.

Thanks to the Warner Bros panel at Cinemacon, we now finally know the core cast of the upcoming film, including who landed the role of Strider and who has been confirmed to return from the previous films.

Read on for a full guide to the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is set to release in December 2027.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum cast list

You can find a full list of announced stars below – scroll down further for more information on the actors and the characters they are playing.

• Jamie Dornan as Strider/Aragorn
• Lee Pace as Thranduil
• Leo Woodall as Halvard
• Kate Winslet as Marigol
• Andy Serkis as Gollum
• Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf

Jamie Dornan plays Strider/Aragorn

Who is Aragorn? Aragorn, also known as Strider, is a Ranger of the North and one of the primary characters in Tolkien’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy. The heir of Isildur, Aragorn is the titular king that returns in the third and final part of the trilogy. Despite being destined for the throne of Arnor and Gondor, Aragorn chooses a different path, eventually falling in love with the immortal elf Arwen.

Aragorn is drawn into the plot to destroy the One Ring and prevent it from falling into the hands of Sauron. Somewhere along the way to joining the Fellowship, Aragorn is tasked by Gandalf with finding the creature known as Gollum in order to prevent Sauron from finding out the location of the One Ring.

What else has Jamie Dornan been in? After finding fame with his roles in hit BBC drama The Fall in the Fifty Shades of Grey films, Dornan has since gone on to star in movies like Belfast and shows like The Tourist.

Lee Pace plays Thranduil

Who is Thranduil? The Elevenking of Mirkwood and one of the Sindar. He first appeared in The Hobbit where his character's antagonistic relationship with the Dwarves of Erebor partly led to the Battle of the Five Armies. Like all elves, Thranduil is immortal and featured in many of the most significant battles across Middle Earth including the original war with Sauron at the end of the Second Age. During the War of the Ring, Thranduil plays a small role, which includes holding Gollum prisoner in order for Gandalf to learn the location of the One Ring.

What else has Lee Pace been in? He's had a wealth of credits – including earlier playing Thranduil in The Hobbit Trilogy. Other major film credits include The Fall, Guardians of the Galaxy, Bodies Bodies Bodies and The Running Man while on the small screen he's been in Pushing Daisies, Halt and Catch Fire and Foundation.

Leo Woodall as Halvard

Who is Halvard? An original character created for the new film. He is a Dúendain Man similar to Aragorn, though little else is known about his character. Rumour has it that he will also be a Ranger of the North like Aragorn and could play a major role in the quest to find Gollum.

What else has Leo Woodall been in? He broke out in The White Lotus season 2 and built on that fame with Netflix hit One Day. Film credits include Nuremberg, Bridget Jones: Made About the Boy and Tuner, while he's also recently been seen in TV shows Prime Target and Vladimir.

Kate Winslet plays Marigol

Who is Marigol? Little is known about this character, though her name is very similar to a certain Marigold Gamgee, sister of Samwise Gamgee. That being said, it remains unlikely that the character is secretly Marigold Gamgee, with Marigol likely being a new character created for the film.

What else has Kate Winslet been in? An A-lister in every sense of the word, Winslet's filmography includes several huge films and a hoard of awards and nominations. Among the highlights are Oscar nods for Sense and Sensibility, Titanic, Iris, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and Steve Jobs, in addition to a win for The Reader. She's also starred in the Avatar sequels and made her directorial debut with Goodbye June last year, while TV credits include lead roles in Mildred Pierce and Mare of Easttown.

Andy Serkis plays Gollum

Who is Gollum? Once a hobbit named Sméagol, Gollum was corrupted and twisted by the power of the One Ring over several years. His destiny tightly entwined with that of the ring, Gollum eventually finds himself in the darkened caves beneath the Misty Mountain. It is here he meets a young Bilbo Baggins and the two engage in a battle of wits that eventually leads to Gollum losing the ring. Desperate and obsessed, Gollum’s journey sees him cross paths with good and evil on the way to try and regain his precious.

What else has Andy Serkis been in? Serkis is best known for his ground-breaking work in motion-capture performance, especially for previously playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy in addition to Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot series. Other film roles include Ulysses Klaue in the MCU, Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman, Long Shot, and SAS: Red Notice, while he has directed films including Breathe and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Elijah Wood plays Frodo Baggins

Who is Frodo? One of the most important yet unassuming characters in all of Middle Earth, Frodo is the hobbit tasked with carrying and destroying the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. His quest takes him through the Mines of Moria, across the dead marshes and past Minas Morgul, all the while avoiding the temptation to use the One Ring and thus become twisted by its power like Gollum.

What else has Andy Serkis been in? Of course, Wood remains best known for playing Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings films – although he'd also amassed some impressive credits before then, including roles in North, The Ice Storm and a very brief appearance in Back to the Future: part 2. Other credits include TV series Star Wars: The Resistance, The Afterparty, I'm a Virgo and Yellowjackets, while he was recently seen in horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.

Ian McKellen plays Gandalf

Who is Gandalf? One of the Maia, an immortal spirit from Valinor, Gandalf is a powerful wizard. His influence on the events of the Third Age is widespread as he helped Bilbo on his quest to Erabor in The Hobbit and was a key part of the Fellowship that helped Frodo in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. His mortal body, known then as Gandalf the Grey, was killed fighting the Balrog in the Mines of Moria before he was reborn as Gandalf the White.

What else has Ian McKellen been in? National Treasure Sir Ian McKellen is perhaps best known for playing Gandalf in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, as well Magneto in several X-Men films. He has also had an award-winning career spanning over 50 years, appearing in numerous Shakespeare plays on both stage and screen and being nominated for an Oscar for Gods and Monsters. Recent films include The Critic and The Christophers.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is coming to cinemas in December 2027.

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