Lord of the Rings fans, brace yourself…

After a lengthy wait, Warner Bros have officially confirmed that the first of a new batch of live-action fantasy films is due for release in 2026.

Based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien novels, the new outing is set to focus on iconic character Gollum in between the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies and will be entitled The Hunt for Gollum.

Furthermore, Gollum actor Andy Serkis will direct and star in the film which will be produced by original The Lord of the Rings trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

In a statement, Warner Bros CEO David Zaslav said:

“Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and revered franchises in history and presents a significant opportunity for theatrical business.”

Jackson, Walsh and Boyens then said:

“It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that stinker – Gollum!”

Finally, Serkis added:

“Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle-earth, Peter, Fran and Philippa … it’s just all too delicious …”

The move comes almost twenty years after the release of Jackson’s epic trilogy (2001-03) which grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide, and won a combined seventeen Academy Awards (including eleven for the closing chapter, The Return of the King). Additionally, Jackson went on to direct a prequel trilogy (2012-14) based on the Hobbit that made more money despite mixed reviews.

In the meantime, Rings fans can look forward to the arrival of a separate animated Middle-Earth film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim in December, as well as the second series of Amazon’s expensive spin-off series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power which lands next year.