The new Lord of the Rings movie is coming in 2026

Warner Bros. will release The first installment of her new film is “The Lord of the Rings” in 2026, which will focus on Andy Serkis’ Gollum.

Original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy director Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the film and “will be involved every step of the way” in the film, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call. Call Thursday.

The project is currently in the early stages of script development by writers Walsh and Bowens along with Phoebe Gittens and Artie Papageorgiou, and will “explore storylines that have not yet been told,” Zaslav said.

In a press release issued by Warner Bros. Later Thursday morning, the studio revealed the working title of the film is “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” and will be directed by Serkis in his signature role. The film will be executive produced by Ken Cummins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.

Warner Bros. announced first reported in February 2023 that newly installed studio executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdi had brokered a deal to produce “multiple” films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved books. The projects will be developed through the WB New Line Cinema label. Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, has closed the deal for the adaptation rights to books including “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” under a venture called Middle-earth Enterprises.

“For more than two decades, moviegoers have embraced The Lord of the Rings trilogy because of the undeniable dedication that Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown to protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensuring that audiences can experience the incredible world they created.” “In a way that honors his literary vision,” De Luca and Abdi said in a statement Thursday. “We are honored that they have agreed to partner with us on these two new films. With Andy coming on board to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we are continuing our important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture forward and contribute even further.” In the “Lord of the Rings” cinematic history.

Jackson, Welch and Bowens added: “It is an honor and a privilege to return to Middle-earth with our dear friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has not yet finished working with that stinker – Gollum! As lifelong fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca , Pam Abdi and the entire team at Warner Bros. in another epic adventure!

“Yes, precious,” Sarkis said. “It is time once again to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa,” said Serkis. “With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on board as well, along with WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s all absolutely delicious…”

The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, directed by Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s subsequent trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those revenues.

Jackson’s first trilogy, “LOTR,” starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, and Cate Blanchett. This trio of films has been nominated for 30 Academy Awards and won 17, including Best Picture for 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.