Elijah Wood has given the most positive update yet that he will return to the role of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. The actor appeared in the original trilogy of films as the hobbit who carried the One Ring to Mordor to destroy it while resisting its corrupting power.
Andy Serkis is set to direct a new feature film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is set between the end of The Hobbit prequel trilogy and The Lord of the Rings films that follow.
While details of the film have been kept firmly under wraps, Gandalf actor Sir Ian McKellen previously said that his character, as well as Frodo, would make a return.
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Wood has not confirmed or denied outright that he has been cast in The Hunt for Gollum, but he has said that he wouldn’t want to see anyone else as Frodo as long as he is “alive and able” to play the role.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag.
“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. It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth.
“Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together.”
He added that he is “excited” about the latest film, which is set to be released in 2027.
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When the interviewer said that McKellen expressed he would not allow anyone else to play Gandalf, Wood continued: “Well, no, and I totally get that. I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either, as long as I’m alive and able.
“And I can also recognize what fun that is going to be – when you are in the cinema, and you see the hat turn around and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together.”
The Hunt for Gollum will see producers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens reunite after bringing the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies to life.
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Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more.
Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club.
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