Just like George R.R. Martin, it looks like even The Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson, can't keep away from wanting to help bring back extinct species, as the filmmaker is backing a controversial project to resurrect a 600-year-old flightless New Zealand bird. As fans previously heard in April this year, the Game of Thrones author teamed up with Colossal Biosciences to bring Dire Wolves back from extinction in its first-ever “de-extinction” program to combat the growing biodiversity crisis. However, fans weren't too happy with the writer as they felt like he was using any excuse to sway from finishing off his sixth novel in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, The Winds of Winter.
Following in the footsteps of Martin, Lord of the Rings' Peter Jackson is now on his own epic quest to bring the South Island Giant Moa back to life. This particular 3.6 meter tall bird was endemic to New Zealand and went extinct 600 years ago due to overhunting, but now, Jackson hopes that his work with Colossal, and $15 million from his own private fund, will help resurrect the giant bird in a new initiative with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre.
Peter Jackson To Help Resurrect Giant Bird That Roamed Earth for 4000 Years
Recently announced on Colossal Biosciences' website, the company revealed that it is on a path to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the South Island giant moa and that Jackson is on board to help make sure it all happens. Explaining his motivation for wanting to take part in the project, Jackson said, "The movies are my day job, and the moa are my fun thing I do," adding: "Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa."
Jackson also talked about his fascination with UFOs, Yetis, and the Loch Ness Monster, and how he envisioned a future where extinct creatures like the Mammoth and the Dodo would be brought back into the world of the living again. So, after becoming aware of Colossal's work six years ago, the company's de-extinction goal "rekindled" Jackson's "hope for the future.” This project surely seems like the perfect endeavor for Jackson as he already owns between 300 and 400 moa bones in his private collection.
However, as predicted, scientists are worried about this project and have concerns that even though it's possible to create physical traits from currently living animals, de-extinction is "likely impossible," with some believing that the focus should be on trying to protect existing species. Colossal is already working on bringing back the Wooly Mammoth, the Thesyaline, and the Dodo, and that’s on top of their recent efforts to bring back Dire Wolves. Even though Colossal is still in "the very early stages" of the moa de-extinction project, the question of where to put these creatures is something on everyone's lips, as they would very likely be a danger to themselves in the wild as well as the general public.
As for The Lord of the Rings news, The Hunt for Gollum is slated to be released on December 17, 2027, which is still quite a bit of a wait for eager fans. However, star and director Andy Serkis is set to reprise his role as Gollum, where fans will witness what the creature who was horribly corrupted by the Ring got up to in between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
'Absolutely!' Lord Of The Rings Star Shares Enthusiastic Response Regarding Potential Hunt For Gollum Return
As development on The Hunt for Gollum continues, an original Lord of the Rings star is enthusiastic about the potential to return.
- 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
Cast
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Andy SerkisGollum
Source: Colossal Biosciences