Frodo, Gandalf, and Gollum: Warner Bros. prepares reboot of legendary “Lord of the Rings” trilogy

The fires of Mordor may have long faded, but Middle-earth is calling its legendary heroes once again. Sir Ian McKellen has spoken publicly for the first time about returning as Gandalf in the upcoming film “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” reports Hypebeast.

At a recent fan event in London, the actor revealed a major scoop: the script officially features Gandalf and Frodo Baggins. “Filming starts in May. Gollum is directing, and the story is entirely about him,” McKellen told MovieWeb. “But I can reveal two casting secrets: there’s Frodo, and there’s Gandalf. Everything else—silence.”

Set in the so-called “time of absence” after Bilbo’s 111th birthday but before Frodo’s journey to Mordor, the film follows Gandalf’s urgent mission to track down Gollum and uncover what he knows about the One Ring.

Peter Jackson, the original trilogy’s creator, returns as producer, while Andy Serkis, pioneer of motion-capture technology, takes the director’s chair. Warner Bros. hopes this reboot will recapture the franchise’s former glory. McKellen, playfully keeping fans in suspense, did not confirm whether he or Elijah Wood would reprise their roles—but speculation is already rampant, with the iconic casting likely to be a major selling point.

Industry insiders are already discussing how filmmakers will bridge the 20-year gap since the original trilogy. Sources suggest digital de-aging and prosthetics may be used to maintain visual continuity for the beloved characters.