Andy Serkis explained why the Hunt for Gollum keeps getting delayed. First it was supposed to be released – yesterday it seems, and most recently we’re told that it would be delayed to 2026 earlier this year, and now 2027. He cites the increasing production time of the film. And scripts take time to write, and films take time to film. It is currently in the draft phase, with the filming set to take place later in the year making 2027 the perfect time to release it.
“Yeah, it is not 2026. It was originally going to be December 2026. It is going to be December 2027,” Serkis said. “We are right at the beginning of the writing process. We will be prepping later this year. Prep takes a good chunk of time, six or seven months, and then we will be shooting next year. So, it backs into that December 2027 release date.“
While we don’t know the contents exactly, the co-writer, Philippa Boyens, said that The Hunt for Gollum is supposed to be set right before Frodo leaves the Shire for Rivendell. Furthermore, Aragorn will be in the film and Viggo Mortensen will be playing him, depending on how much of a role Aragorn would be playing in this scene.
“I know Andy wants to work with him, but also, we don’t see this as like, using A.I. [technology], this is about a digital make-up, and whether Viggo does it or will entirely depends on how good the script is,” Boyens continued. “And he doesn’t have a script yet. So to be fair to Viggo, let’s see if we write a good enough role and that he can find enough in it to see that it’s a performance he wants to take on. After that, it’ll be between Viggo and Andy of how that is achieved.“
We’re told that the decision that Viggo would play Aragorn would be based on how fitting the plot is to him. However, we do not see much of Aragorn until Frodo has long left the Shire, but that doesn’t mean he was not around.
Aragorn would search for Gollum in 3009 TA, which is between Bilbo’s party in 3001 TA and when Frodo leaves the Shire in 3018 TA. This was told in the Council of Elrond, though there’s a good chance the film might try and incorporate it between events as told.
