Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
A new, live-action Lord of the Rings trilogy may begin next year.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is expected to arrive in United States theaters next year from Warner Bros. Pictures. The movie is being directed by Andy Serkis, who previously played Gollum/Sméagol in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while he also appeared in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Serkis will be reprising his role in The Hunt for Gollum, while Ian McKellen has confirmed he’ll be returning as Gandalf. Elijah Wood has strongly teased his return as Frodo in the movie as well, though he technically hasn’t officially confirmed his involvement.

What is the update on Lord of the Rings and The Hunt for Gollum?

On a recent episode of The Hot Mic, insider Jeff Sneider revealed that Warner Bros. Pictures may be planning a new The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which The Hunt for Gollum would serve as the first entry in.

“I don’t really know what to do with this tip,” Sneider said. “I heard that the Lord of the Rings movie. I’m told that there’s a new trilogy. I hear that there’s a new Lord of the Rings trilogy in the works.”

When asked if The Hunt for Gollum would be the first installment in this trilogy, Sneider said, “I think so. I think it would be the first one.”

At this time, Warner Bros. Pictures has not yet announced any plans for any other Middle-earth movies apart from The Hunt for Gollum. If the studio truly is hoping to make The Hunt for Gollum the first installment in a new trilogy, it’s unclear if plans for the second and third movies will be announced anytime in the near future or if they’ll wait to see how The Hunt for Gollum does at the box office.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum currently has a December 17, 2027, release date.