Peter Jackson’s Forgotten Gollum Film Idea Resurfaces
Peter Jackson once considered a Lord of the Rings film about Aragorn and Gandalf’s hunt for Gollum—an idea now echoing in the upcoming spin-off The Hunt for Gollum.
With The Hunt for Gollum spin-off on the horizon, fans are buzzing about its roots in Tolkien’s appendices. But it turns out this isn’t the first time the idea’s been floated. Nearly a quarter-century ago, Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens tossed around the notion of a film exploring the untold tale of Aragorn and Gandalf tracking down Gollum—a story that never made it to the big screen.
Jackson’s musings have resurfaced thanks to commentary from The Fellowship of the Ring’s Extended Edition DVD. He reflects on the wealth of material in Tolkien’s work that didn’t fit into the original trilogy.
“There’s great stuff in the book that we just couldn’t put into the movie, and I’ve just always loved that when Gandalf leaves Baggins he goes and joins up with Aragorn, and the two of them hunt Gollum down,”
he says.
“We’ve got this little remnant, which is Gollum being tortured, but we could never obviously do the bit where Aragorn and Gandalf track Gollum down. It’s a neat idea, it would’ve been great to squeeze it in the film somehow.”
Unseen Stories and Missed Opportunities
Jackson and Boyens also touched on how these hidden stories shaped the relationships between characters. They mention a scene where Legolas and Aragorn meet up, hinting at their shared history because of the Gollum subplot. These moments, while not shown, add depth to the world and its characters.
Boyens pointed out other side adventures from Tolkien’s universe that would be ripe for adaptation, like Saruman’s own quest for the ring.
“Maybe there will be a time when that’s brought to life, too...”
she mused, leaving the door open for future projects.
New Faces and Fresh Challenges
The Hunt for Gollum is set to bring back familiar faces, with Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood joining Andy Serkis, who’s also taking on directing duties. The film is scheduled for release on 17 December 2027. Warner Bros. has announced that Aragorn will be recast to fit the prequel timeline, a move that’s sure to spark plenty of debate among die-hard fans.
Serkis has spoken about the daunting task ahead.
“It is a phenomenal challenge, exciting and of course terrifying at the same time,”
he told Empire magazine.
“We have a very specific task ahead of us. A return to Middle-earth that satisfies the passion and the love that generations of Lord of the Rings fans have for these stories, whilst also presenting something completely fresh and new for first-timers to Middle-earth, with one of Tolkien’s richest and most complex characters at its heart.”
Looking Ahead to Middle-earth’s Next Chapter
As anticipation builds, it’s clear that the upcoming film will tread ground once considered off-limits. By drawing on the appendices and long-discussed subplots, The Hunt for Gollum promises to offer both nostalgia and new perspectives for punters keen to revisit Middle-earth. Whether it lives up to the legacy of Jackson’s original trilogy remains to be seen, but the journey there is sure to be a talking point for years to come.