Warner Bros. has unveiled set photos from the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, offering a glimpse at Frodo Baggins and the Shire in celebration of Hobbit Day. The prequel movie, currently in production in New Zealand, is scheduled for release on December 17, 2027.
Elijah Wood returns as Frodo Baggins in the film. The released images, initially shared on Warner Bros.' TikTok page, show Frodo from behind, with his face not yet visible, suggesting that de-aging technology will be applied later in post-production. The photos also feature numerous Hobbits in the Shire and director Andy Serkis, who also plays Gollum, operating a camera.
The Hunt for Gollum will see the return of several Lord of the Rings actors, including Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Lee Pace as elven king Thranduil. New cast members include Jamie Dornan, who will portray Aragorn, and Anya Taylor-Joy as a newly created character named Seren, described as a "lethal elf."
Andy Serkis previously discussed the film's use of artificial intelligence and machine learning for digitally de-aging some of the cast members to appear younger than they did in The Fellowship of the Ring, which was released over 25 years ago. The narrative of The Hunt for Gollum centers on characters searching for Gollum to locate the One Ring, a period briefly depicted in The Fellowship of the Ring's prologue and referenced in J.R.R. Tolkien's writings.
Original director Peter Jackson has stated he is offering Serkis creative freedom on the project, offering assistance only when needed. "I'm leaving him to it," Jackson commented, "I'm there to help if I can help, if I can be of assistance at certain times, I'm there. But I'm giving him as much freedom as I can, because giving Andy freedom to make that movie will result in the best possible film."