The Shire is set to welcome another newcomer. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga star Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum prequel film, which sees Andy Serkis pulling double duty as the returning voice of Gollum and as the director.
The actress will play Seren, a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm and a trusted, lethal agent of King Thranduil. Lee Pace is reprising his role as the latter character, marking a reunion with Ian McKellen, the face of Gandalf, and Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins). Alongside Taylor-Joy, other fresh cast additions include Kate Winslet (Marigol), Jamie Dornan (Strider aka Aragorn), taking over the reins from Viggo Mortensen, and Leo Woodall (Halvard).
Peter Jackson, who helmed the three-film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel, is back as producer with his creative partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, as well as Zane Weiner. Set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, The Hunt for Gollum follows Gandalf and Aragorn’s secret efforts to locate the titular character to learn more about Bilbo’s ring, which, of course, turns out to be the One Ring to rule them all.
The casting marks Taylor-Joy’s third outing in one of Warner Bros.’ major franchises, following Furiosa and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies. Her character of Alia Atreides debuted in Dune: Part 2 in an uncredited cameo, and will make a proper appearance in the third instalment when it releases on 17 December — coincidentally, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum hit theatres exactly a year later.
The next entry in the fantasy series, Shadow of the Past, is being written by Boyens, Tolkien superfan Steven Colbert, and Peter McGee, with the following synopsis: “14 years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.” No other details, including a release window and casting, were announced.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is gearing up for a return to Middle-earth on 17 December 2027.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
