Summary
- Weaving will not return to his role as Elrond in new LOTR movies, feeling ready to leave Middle-earth behind.
- Other cast members like Bloom and McKellen are in talks to return, but no confirmations yet.
- The Gollum movies will reunite Serkis as director, Jackson as producer, and potentially hit theaters in 2026.
The Lord of the Rings franchise is expanding with new movies in the works. However, one actor will not be returning to the franchise.
Fans are eagerly anticipating at least two new Lord of the Rings movies and are excited to see which original cast members might reprise their roles. But it seems one notable actor is officially done with their involvement and will not be returning to Middle-earth. This news adds a touch of disappointment for some as they look forward to the next chapter of the beloved franchise.
LOTR: The Hunt For Gollum Is A Step In The Wrong Direction
Re-treading old ground in the world of LOTR is not the right move, and yet the Hunt for Gollum is just that.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar+ about his current project Slow Horses, Hugo Weaving, who portrayed Elrond in Lord of the Ring s, confirmed he will not be returning to the role. Despite being a fan-favorite character, Weaving shared that while he enjoyed his time in the franchise, he is ready to leave Middle-earth behind.
"I’ve had enough of Middle-earth. I don’t imagine anyone would ask me to do it again."
As the Lord of the Rings franchise continues to expand, with The Hunt for Gollum movies expected in the coming years, fans are eagerly awaiting news about which actors might return. Andy Serkis is currently the only confirmed cast member, reprising his iconic role as Gollum while also directing the movies. Though other major stars, like Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), have discussed returning, nothing has been finalized.
Ian McKellen is considering a return after his break and plans to read the script he expects to receive early next year. Meanwhile, Viggo Mortensen has indicated he would return if the story “made sense.” Peter Jackson, the visionary behind the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, is returning as a producer, with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens involved in shaping the screenplay. They will be joined by Phoebe Gittins and Artie Papageorgiou, who previously worked on The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Filming is expected to begin next year, with the first of the two Gollum movies potentially hitting theaters as early as 2026, provided everything stays on track.
Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2026.
Source: GamesRadar+
- Created by
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Current Series
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
- Movie(s)
- The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Video Game(s)
- The Lord of the Rings Online (dupe), LEGO Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
LOTR: Rings of Power Deserves a Third Season
Amazon's The Rings of Power just wrapped up its second season. Despite online backlash, the fantasy epic deserves a third season.