Ian McKellen Said THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Is Two Films and the Script Is Arriving Next Year
It sounds like one of the plans for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is to bring Ian McKellen back as Gandalf. The actor has made it clear that he wants to return, he’s just waiting on the script.
McKellen has offered another update on the movie because the press just loves to keep asking him about it. He explains that the script for the film should be coming in next year and says he’s also heard that it will be two films.
McKellen told This Morning: "Well, all I know is that they called me up and said these films were going to happen, that [they're] mainly going to be about Gollum, Andy Serkis who played Gollum is going to direct, and there will be a script arriving sometime in the new year [...] and then I'll judge whether I want to go back.
“I'm told it's two films. I probably shouldn't be saying this [laughs]. But I haven't read the script, and I don't know when it is, and I don't even know where it will be filmed."
McKellen continued: "But I would. I would love to go back. I would love to go back to New Zealand, number one. I also don't like the idea of anyone else playing [Gandalf]."
Peter Jackson is producing the film along with his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens who will write the script along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Andy Serkis is directing.
A variety of Middle Earth films will “explore storylines yet to be told,” and this particular film will obviously focus on Gollum. As you might imagine, there are some familiar faces that could appear in the movie, and one of the big ones is Gandalf.
During a previous interview, Jackson opened up about the story they are looking to tell offering some insight on why they wanted to tell this tragic story of Gollum.
Jackson explained: “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.”
Do you think these new Middle Earth movies will be able to reach the epic filmmaking standard that Jackson delivered with the original trilogy?