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The first film, which will center on the character of Gollum, has Andy Serkis set to star and direct.
By Alex Weprin
Media & Business Writer
Warner Bros. has made it official: It will be returning to Middle-earth.
On Warner Bros. Discovery’s first-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, CEO David Zaslav said that the company is “now in the early stages of script development” for new Lord of the Rings movies, which he says they “anticipate releasing in 2026” and will “explore storylines yet to be told.”
The first film, from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, will be called Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), with Andy Serkis set to star and direct the feature,
Zaslav says that director Peter Jackson and his longtime writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens “will be involved every step of the way.” Boyens and Walsh will write the screenplay. The deal covers two films in the franchise.
“It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that stinker — Gollum!,” Jackson, Boyens and Walsh said in a statement. “As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with [WBD film chiefs] Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
“Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth Peter, Fran and Philippa,” added Serkis. “With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious… .” 
“Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and revered franchises in history and presents a significant opportunity for our theatrical business,” Zaslav said.
Warners first said that it was developing new LOTR movies a little over a year ago, cutting a deal with rights holders Embracer Group AB to develop new films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series.
“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision,” Abdy and De Luca added. “We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (working title), we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history.”
As The Hollywood Reporter noted at the time, Amazon is also developing its own larger TV universe for the franchise, potentially leading to the two competitive visions. Jackson and his co-writers were said to be frustrated that many people thought they were involved in the Amazon shows, when they were not.
The news that Jackson, Boyens and Walsh will be involved in the new film franchise is sure to calm any concerns from loyal fans.
The original film trilogy, which won a slew of Oscars, will be returning to theaters this summer, remastered and extended.
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