Gandalf’s Role in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Revealed by Sir Ian McKellen
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is gearing up to be the first live-action return to Tolkien’s world since The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies hit theaters in 2014.
Set before the events of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the film promises to dig into a chapter fans have only heard about in passing. And now, thanks to Sir Ian McKellen, we’ve got a clearer idea of exactly where Gandalf fits into the story.
Warner Bros. confirmed back in 2024 that the project was moving forward, with Andy Serkis stepping into the director’s chair while once again taking on the role of Gollum. Peter Jackson is producing alongside Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the Oscar-winning writers behind the original trilogy.
Well, McKellen recently offered some key insight into how the wizard fits into the narrative. He said he’s “not in the position to say—but the script is designed to appeal to people who like Lord of the Rings. It’s an adventure story, Aragorn trying to find Gollum with Gandalf directing operations from the sidelines.”
Gandalf won’t be front and center swinging his staff, but he will be orchestrating the hunt from the shadows. That lines up with Tolkien lore, as this story unfolds in the tense stretch of time after Bilbo vanishes from the Shire and before the Fellowship forms.
A previously leaked synopsis filled in even more details about the plot:
“Before the Fellowship, one creature’s obsession holds the key to Middle-earth’s survival — or its demise. In The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we meet young Smeagol — an outsider drawn to trinkets and mischief—long before The One Ring consumed him and began his tragic descent into the tortured, deceitful creature Gollum. With the ring lost and carried away by Bilbo Baggins, Gollum finds himself compelled to leave his cave in search of it.
“Gandalf the Grey calls upon Aragorn, still known as the ranger Strider, to track the elusive creature whose knowledge of the whereabouts of the ring could tip the balance toward the Dark Lord Sauron.
“Set in the shadowed time between Bilbo’s birthday disappearance and the Fellowship’s formation, this perilous journey through Middle-earth’s darkest corners reveals untold truths, tests the resolve of its future king, and explores the fractured soul and backstory of Gollum, one of Tolkien’s most enigmatic characters.
“Directed by original cast member Andy Serkis, produced by Peter Jackson, and written & produced by Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens — the creative team behind the Oscar-winning trilogy — this live-action movie bridges the beloved films with new characters, returning heroes, and a deeply engaging origin story that resets the stage for, and changes everything you know about the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy.”
This puts Aragorn right at the heart of the action. The character was famously played by Viggo Mortensen in the original trilogy, but this film will feature a younger version of the ranger known as Strider.
Casting for the role is currently underway, and no, it won’t be Sebastian Stan or Ben Barnes, despite the internet’s favorite fancasts. We’ll likely be waiting a while before that announcement drops.
As for production, McKellen also shared another update that’s sure to get fans excited: “It’s going to start filming in May. It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum.
“But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed.”
So yes, Frodo is in the mix too. That opens the door for a possible return by Elijah Wood, who has already hinted he’d be open to stepping back into those hairy Hobbit feet.
December 2027 can’t get here fast enough.