SerpApi.Org
As far as fantasy worlds go, Middle-earth is right up there with the very best of them. Without much doubt, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Ringsis the most influential work of high fantasy ever created, and the same can be said of Peter Jackson's trilogy as well. The trilogy's depiction of Middle-earth was elite, setting the bar for modern fantasy and is seen as the genre's peak. After years of different attempts to expand The Lord of the Rings beyond the confines of Jackson’s original trilogy, a return to Middle-earth is fast approaching. Warner Bros.' long-awaited return to Middle-earth will soon be attained with The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is set to arrive on December 17, 2027.
A return to the magnetic and ethereal surroundings of that world would be brilliant to say the list even as the film chronicles a story we are familiar with. Detailing the events before The Fellowship of the Ring, the film is expected to follow Aragorn’s search for Gollum after the wizard, Gandalf, perceives that his friend, Bilbo's old ring could potentially be a lot more dangerous than it looks. The upcoming fantasy film is directed by Andy Serkis, who also returns to play Gollum through motion capture and the actor was quizzed on a particular subject in a recent interview. Overall, one thing is certain. Tolkien is for everyone. Has been and always will be.
So, it is not surprising that The Lord of the Rings' perceived lack of diversity has been a subject to quiz Serkis on ahead of his Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt For Gollum. In an interview with the BBC, the director was questioned on some fan criticism of Serkis’ Hunt for Gollum cast, which so far only consists of white actors. Serkis himself, according to the BBC itself, who has been a campaigner for equality across his decades-spanning career, says his film will address diversity “where relevant” and without just “ticking boxes.” “Tolkien himself was influenced a lot by Norse mythology; there’s a lot of that feeling,” Serkis told the BBC. “The Shire feels very, very much like a very, a very white, you know…” Adding: “They’re not very concerned about what goes on beyond the borders of The Shire, but they know they don’t want people coming in.” He does concede that there “have been criticisms,” adding that: “This particular film is somewhat acknowledging that. But we don’t think we will be doing a politically correct just-casting-for-the sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version of the film. So, it’s only where relevant basically.”
Who Is Involved in 'The Hunt for Gollum'?
Serkis' comments come amidst a storm of criticism within certain quarters for Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic, The Odyssey, whose casting choices have been questioned for different reasons. Besides Serkis, the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumalso includes Ian McKellen (X-Men) as Gandalf the Grey, Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Thranduil, and Jamie Dornan (Belfast) as Aragorn, replacing the beloved Viggo Mortensen. Kate Winslet (Titanic), Leo Woodall (The White Lotus), and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit) as Seren have also been cast. Serkis directs from a screenplay by Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou and the original creative team behind Jackson’s trilogy: Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh. Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens are also producing.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2027.
