The Lord of the Rings new film prequel confirmed to recast a major character from original trilogy

Andy Serkis has provided fans with a major update about the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Serkis, who will return to play Gollum and direct the film, confirmed that the role of Aragorn will be recast – with Viggo Mortensen not reprising his role.

Addressing the cast speculation, Serkis told Screen Rant: "I don't know what's out there at the moment, but I know there's a lot of speculation, but let's just say we are recasting the role and we are on the way to finding someone."

The Hunt for Gollum will be set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, focusing on a previously untold story, as teased by Serkis himself.

The actor has been sure to keep details of the film under wraps, telling the publication: "We've got to keep it all back. I mean, look, other than, I think it's probably common knowledge, but our film takes place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it's The Hunt for Gollum, and it is a physical hunt for the character, but also a psychological hunt for himself.

"So we're just about on the launchpad now, and it's very exciting. And yeah, it's going to be a big ride."

But Serkis did share that the creatives from the original trilogy have reunited to bring The Hunt for Gollum to life.

"It's been a tightrope for all," he explained. "I mean, the entire Lord of the Rings team who worked on the originals are reassembled, for a start. So it is grounded in the lore and the world and the vision of Peter Jackson's trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy."

Serkis continued: "So it will feel like a proper Middle-earth film, there's no question, but there is a much more internal psychological investigation into one of Tolkien's most complex characters, i.e. Gollum. So it's a very interesting mix, and I think it is a tightrope for sure. A lot of the filmmaking techniques are ones that we are employing, which harken back to the first trilogy.

"I think it'll be a great marriage of a new story and an intimate story within the lore and world of Middle-earth that we all love. You've got to remember that for some people, this will be their first Middle-earth film. So that's why it's been such an interesting journey."

The only other details known about the upcoming movie is Kate Winlset will be joining the latest Middle-earth outing as the female lead, though exact details of her role have not been disclosed.

It has also been rumoured that the film could see the returns of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

Though neither actor has confirmed this to be the case, Wood recently told The Sunday Times he "certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo as long as [he is] alive and able".

He said: "It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together."

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

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