Featured Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Lord of the Rings, Film and TV, Celebrity, News
Niamh Shackleton
Topics: Lord of the Rings, Film and TV, Celebrity, News
Elijah Wood is officially returning to The Shire after more than 20 years — and he wouldn't have it any other way.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently in the works at Warner Bros., marking the first LOTR movie in 23 years.
Filming for the latest instalment of the hugely popular franchise is believed to be starting this year and will hit theatres in December 2027.
Andy Serkis, Gollum himself, will be directing the film as well as reprising his role as the creature.
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Joining him in returning to the LOTR is Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and the one and only Elijah Wood as Frodo. Rejoice!
Discussing his basically-confirmed return to Middle-earth, Wood told The Times: "It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag."
He added: "So there is a good chance. I’m not able to officially say anything until it’s announced, but I will say I’m thrilled with the prospect of another film."
Wood went on to say that he's 'excited' about the new movie, adding: "There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together."
In his interview with the newspaper he also weighed in on the idea of someone else playing Frodo.
"I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I’m alive and able," the actor shared.
He added that he 'totally gets' why McKellen also wouldn't want anyone else to star as Gandalf while he's still around too.
It hasn't yet been revealed who else from the original cast may join Wood, Serkis, and McKellen.
While Wood hasn't technically been confirmed to be starring in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, Oscar-award winning actress Kate Winslet has, Deadline reports.
Winslet will supposedly be a 'female lead' in the movie, but her exact character has not been disclosed.
Winslet will have to jet for New Zealand for filming and she teased to Deadline last year that for a lot of 2026 she'll be out of the country, but didn't disclose why...
The news of the Titanic star joining the LOTR cast comes after she was rumored to have turned down a role in the franchise back in the day.
It's believed that Winslet was offered the role of Éowyn, but she declined. Miranda Otto took on the part instead.