A ‘Fellowship’ Reunion: Sir Ian McKellen Confirms Gandalf and Frodo’s Return for ‘The Hunt for Gollum’

Summary

• Sir Ian McKellen confirms that both Gandalf and Frodo Baggins will feature in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
• Production is officially slated to begin in New Zealand in May 2026 under the direction of Andy Serkis
• The film will bridge the narrative gap between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on the search for the creature Gollum

The fires of Mount Doom may have been extinguished decades ago, but Middle-earth is calling its most legendary travelers back to the Shire as Sir Ian McKellen breaks his silence on the return of a beloved character for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Speaking at a recent fan event in London, the Gandalf actor dropped a bombshell for fans worldwide: Gandalf and Frodo Baggins are officially part of the script for The Hunt for Gollum. “It’s going to start filming in May. It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum,” he shared via MovieWeb. “But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed.”

Set during the “missing years” after Bilbo’s 111th birthday but before Frodo begins his trek to Mordor, the narrative centers on Gandalf’s urgent mission to track down Gollum. The film aims to flesh out the off-screen lore of the appendices, where Gandalf and Aragorn race against the forces of Sauron to uncover what the creature knows about the One Ring.

With original trilogy architect Peter Jackson producing and motion-capture pioneer Andy Serkis directing, the project represents a massive strategic move by Warner Bros. to recapture the prestige of the franchise’s peak. While McKellen playfully kept his “lips sealed” regarding whether he and Elijah Wood would personally step back into their roles, the timing and location of the announcement suggest that legacy casting is a core pillar of the production.

Technical speculation is already swirling regarding how the production will handle the 20-year gap since the original trilogy’s wrap. Insiders suggest a combination of digital de-aging and prosthetic enhancements will be used to maintain visual continuity.