Warner Bros. Discovery has officially announced that it will return to Middle-earth with new Lord of the Rings films, with script development currently in the early stages. During the company's first quarter earnings conference call, CEO David Zaslav revealed that the company anticipates releasing these films by 2026, with intentions to explore as-yet-untold stories within this universe.
The first film, under the New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures label, will be titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and will feature Andy Serkis not only as the lead but also as director. Filmmakers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who have been instrumental in the previous film adaptation of this saga, will be at every step of the creation of these new installments, with Walsh and Boyens writing the script. Also, this new project will span two films in the franchise.
In fact, the vision is to “explore more stories” indicating an expansion and deep exploration of the rich literary universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien. In this regard, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, studio leaders, have shared, “We are honored that have agreed to be our partners on these two new films.” This sentiment underscores the continuity and respect for Tolkien's legacy that has been characteristic of the previous adaptations.
Regarding Serkis' direction, his excitement and commitment to the project is noteworthy. “The time has come once again to venture into the unknown with my dear friends,” expressed Serkis, which anticipates a delivery full of passion and dedication.
To bring this project to fruition, Warner Bros. Discovery sealed a deal with rights holders Embracer Group AB more than a year ago to develop new films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book series.
28 July 2023 - 5:13 AM
