New Lord of the Rings film ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ to hit theaters in December 2027

Middle-earth is calling once more — and this time, it’s Gollum’s turn in the spotlight.

Warner Bros Discovery has officially set a release date for the next instalment in the Lord of the Rings saga: December 17, 2027.

Titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, the film will see Andy Serkis returning to the role that made him iconic — not only as the voice and motion-capture wizard behind Gollum, but also as the director of the movie.

According to Deadline, the project reunites the original creative dream team: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens — the architects behind both the original LOTR and The Hobbit trilogies — who will serve as producers. Walsh and Boyens are also penning the script, promising a return to the franchise’s epic storytelling roots.

The film had initially been floated for a 2026 release, but the updated date gives fans a little more time to perfect their best "preciousss" impressions. It follows 2024’s anime feature The War of the Rohirrim and comes as Amazon continues production on season 3 of its sprawling TV epic The Rings of Power.

In addition to The Hunt for Gollum, a second LOTR film is already in the works, though details remain shrouded in mystery — no director has been named, and plot specifics are under wraps.

As the Lord of the Rings universe expands yet again, it’s clear that Tolkien’s legendarium is far from finished enchanting audiences. Ready to head back to Middle-earth?