THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Will Use AI, But Only for One Very Specific Reason

Artificial intelligence has become one of the biggest talking points in Hollywood, and every new movie connected to the technology seems to spark another debate.

Now, Andy Serkis has confirmed that AI will be used in the making for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, but it’s only being used for one specific filmmaking tool.

Speaking with Variety, Serkis explained that AI is being used as part of the de-aging process for certain characters, but that's as far as it goes.

When asked if he planned to use AI while making The Hunt for Gollum, Serkis said: “Not at present, other than some of the de-aging. There’s a little bit of de-aging for some of the characters, and machine learning is part of the process.”

Serkis didn't reveal which characters are being de-aged, but with a few characters from the original trilogy returning, it’s not hared to figure out.

He also pointed out that AI has actually been part of the Lord of the Rings franchise for much longer than many people realize. Looking back at Peter Jackson's original trilogy, Serkis highlighted one of the groundbreaking technologies developed for those films:

“When you think about it, in the original ‘Lord of the Rings’ films, Peter [Jackson] created MASSIVE, which was a program which allowed 1000s of orcs to all have their own individual mindset. So that is a brilliant example of an incredible use of AI.”

While AI has become much more advanced since those movies were made, Serkis says The Hunt for Gollum is sticking with traditional filmmaking techniques wherever possible.

He explained: “But we’re not creating AI shots in our movie; every shot is created in a traditional way. One of the things actually that I really wanted to do with this film was to bring back all of the great filmmaking skills, from miniatures to prosthetics, and marry them up, because that’s my taste. I like it when you mix up different filmmaking techniques.”

That's probably welcome news for fans who love the handcrafted look of Jackson's original Middle-earth films. Practical miniatures, detailed prosthetics, and real-world effects played a huge role in giving those movies their timeless feel, and it sounds like Serkis wants to carry that tradition forward while using modern technology only where it makes sense.

AI has become more common across the film industry, including projects like Young Washington, which has generated plenty of discussion among audiences. Serkis, who also appears in that film, shared his broader thoughts on the technology and where he believes the line should be drawn:

“I think AI as a creative tool is, as long as it’s not exploitative and as long as it’s not harming anybody or defaming anybody or telling mistruths, is valuable.”

For now, it sounds like AI's role in The Hunt for Gollum will stay fairly limited. If Serkis sticks to his word, the movie will rely on practical craftsmanship first, with machine learning stepping in only to help with de-aging.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently in production and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2027.