After years of rumors and online confusion with the 2009 fan film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is now firmly an official Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema production. As of May 6, 2026, the film is scheduled for theatrical release on December 17, 2027, making it the first new live-action Middle-earth film tied to Peter Jackson’s cinematic continuity since The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014. Watch the video here. The key creative fact remains unchanged: Andy Serkis will direct the film and reprise his role as Gollum. That makes the