Summary:
- Peter Jackson, along with Andy Serkis, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, is returning to Middle Earth for “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” focusing on exploring the character’s depth and potential.
- Jackson has expressed excitement about delving into Gollum’s intricate character, believing it holds significant storytelling opportunities.
23 years ago, Peter Jackson released “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” yet it has really had a long-lasting effect on the franchise.
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien‘s iconic books, the original trilogy had brought the audience to Middle Earth and introduced it to tons of relatable characters. Now, decades later, Jackson comes back to Middle Earth for a character study on Gollum.
Peter Jackson Makes a Comeback with “The Hunt for Gollum” in the Lord of the Rings Universe
Fans are now looking forward to setting foot in Middle Earth again with the release of “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Peter Jackson says ‘THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM’ movie will explore Gollum’s backstory & “delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films”
Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens (The ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy) will write the script.
(Source: Deadline) pic.twitter.com/QJMtdwpc3C
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 15, 2024
This film is a must-watch for anyone interested in exploring a character so central to the history of Middle Earth. It was not the first time the character of Gollum had been stretched outside the box of the franchise, of course.
Indeed, only a few years after the LOTR trilogy had ended, fans created the popular fan film sourced from Tolkien’s appendices that had more than 20 million views by 2020.
What Inspired Peter Jackson to Center on Gollum
Where one would expect it to convince Jackson & Co. to invest more time in Gollum’s character on-screen, the reality of the matter is something else. With the film being directed by Andy Serkis and produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, the reasons for Gollum’s character having been included are altogether different.
“Speaking to Deadline in an interview shortly after the announcement was made, Peter Jackson revealed what prompted them to focus on Gollum was how human his character was – full of flaws, yet possessing an innate speck of integrity and devotion.”
Peter Jackson Holds the Belief That ‘There’s a Bit of Gollum in Everyone’
Peter Jackson shared his fascination with Gollum’s character, saying,
“The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic. I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there’s a little bit of both of them in all of us.”
“We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films. It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien.”
As the essence of the series returns to play a role in the upcoming film, it’s only natural for fans to anticipate promising developments.
