Peter Jackson reunion to Middle-earth with new Tolkien films

Twenty years after "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" premiere and ten years after "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," director Peter Jackson returns to Middle-earth. Along with other creators of the iconic trilogies, he embarks on making at least two new movies set in Tolkien's world.

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, has officially announced that Warner Bros. is preparing quite a treat for Tolkien fans. The signed contracts involve making a series of films set in Middle-earth. Currently, at least two titles are on the table, with the first expected to be ready in 2026.

Its title is "Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum." It is known that Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit," will sit in the director's chair. Moreover, among the writers and producers who will be the creators of those movies are Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens.

- It is an honor 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! - announced Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens.

Andy Serkis gained huge fame and recognition as an actor utilizing motion and face capture technology not only for his role as Gollum but also for Caesar in the "Planet of the Apes" series, Snoke in "Star Wars," and onscreen roles in productions such as "Andor," "Black Panther," "Luther: The Fallen Sun," and "Batman." In addition, Serkis has directed several films, including "Breathe," "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle," and "Venom 2: Carnage."

It's worth mentioning that the three "The Lord of the Rings" movies released between 2001 and 2003 earned CAD 4 billion and garnered a total of seventeen Oscars. The Hobbit split into three movies (2012-2014), didn't wow the Academy (zero Oscars out of seven nominations) but grossed nearly CAD 4 billion at the box office overall.

Before the Gollum movie hits the screens, Tolkien fans can return to Middle-earth thanks to the second season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Eight new episodes are set to debut on Amazon Prime Video later this year in Eastern Time.