Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jul 14
Andy Serkis Says 2027 Hunt for Gollum Will Address Diversity Only Where Relevant
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jul 14

Andy Serkis Says 2027 Hunt for Gollum Will Address Diversity Only Where Relevant

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 14

Summary

  • Andy Serkis said The Hunt for Gollum will respond to diversity criticism only "where relevant," rejecting what he called box-ticking casting in the new Lord of the Rings film.
  • BBC questions over the franchise's lack of diversity and the film's so-far all-white announced main cast prompted the comments, with Serkis citing Tolkien's Norse influences and the Shire's "very white" setting.
  • The cast already announced includes Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Lee Pace returning, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan and Leo Woodall.
  • Warner Bros. plans a worldwide release on Dec. 17, 2027, with Serkis directing and reprising Gollum from a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.

Insights

After his Animal Farm adaptation flopped, can Andy Serkis's Lord of the Rings film redeem his directorial career?
Will a star-studded cast and diversity debates undermine the authenticity of the new Lord of the Rings prequel?
Why did Orwell's estate approve a family-friendly 'happy ending' for the famously bleak satire Animal Farm?