Mysterious Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum Role Addressed By Outlander Star

Published Oct 31, 2026, 4:53 PM EDT Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 10 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum may be travelling to the Scottish Highlands. The Lord of the Rings franchise was created by J.R.R. Tolkien, which began with the release of the fantasy novel The Hobbit in 1937 before the epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings between 1954 and 1955. The novels series' most popular adaptations are the legendary Peter Jackson live-action blockbusters, which grossed nearly $3 billion and won 17 Academy Awards. Now, the franchise will be returning in a whole new way as Andy Serkis, known for portraying the role of Gollum in Jackson's adaptations, will be returning to direct his own movie. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be a major reunion for some and an epic introduction to Middle-earth for others. Actors from Jackson's award-winning trilogy such as Elijah Wood and Sir Ian McKellen are returning to reprise their roles, but others, including Jamie Dornan, will enter the new fantasy realm for the first time. However, the movie has been kept rather under wraps while it has been in production around New Zealand. One actor, known for the series Outlander, has been hinting at a potential secret role he has been cast as, and that is Sam Heughan. At a recent event for the Wigtown Book Festival, Heughan seemingly confirmed his involvement in Serkis's The Hunt for Gollum when the moderator of the event accused the LoTR franchise of being "exhausted," to which the actor came to its defense and stated: "No, it's not exhausted. I'm not giving anything away, but I may have been in New Zealand recently." That ties in with the current reported production schedule. However, it hasn't been confirmed if Heughan is in the new installment, or even who he could be portraying. The cast for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum includes Dornan as Strider/Aragorn, McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Serkis as Gollum, Kate Winslet as Marigol, Leo Woodall as Halvard, Lee Pace as King Thranduil, Wood as Frodo Baggins, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Seren. Jackson is on board as a producer, alongside Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, with Zane Weiner. The movie is said to cover the period between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring with Aragorn tracking Gollum across Middle-earth trying to capture him before Dark Lord Sauron's forces do. A fan film released in 2009 directed by Chris Bouchard also shared the journey. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will journey into theaters on December 17, 2027. Release Date December 17, 2027 Director Andy Serkis Writers Arty Papageorgiou, Phoebe Gittins, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, J.R.R. Tolkien Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings