‘The Hunt For Gollum’ Reveals Cast, Including New Aragorn

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The new Lord of the Rings has its cast.

Warner Bros. revealed the cast for their new film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, at CinemaCon. Andy Serkis will reprise his role as Gollum (and Smeagol), and will also direct the movie. Joining him are familiar faces like Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo, and Kate Winslet, who will play a new character named Marigol. Jamie Dornan will portray Strider, Leo Woodall will play Halvard, and Lee Pace returns as Thranduil.

Strider is ultimately revealed to be Aragorn, the character famously portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Just a few weeks ago, Andy Serkis accidentally revealed that Aragorn will appear in the film, and a new actor will be playing him. This is a bit unusual considering Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, and Elijah Wood are all returning to their original roles. Lee Pace is also reprising his role from The Hobbit prequels, The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies.

Andy Serkis recently revealed his film is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Called The Hunt for Gollum, the story involves both a literal chase for the character and an exploration of his inner struggles.

The new movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum, is set to be released in theaters on December 17, 2027. Warner Bros. is also working on another Lord of the Rings film, which is being co-written by Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show.

The Best Sequels Made From Bad Movies

15. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012)

I didn’t have high hopes for the third Madagascar movie, especially after the first two were so mild. But Europe’s Most Wanted is surprisingly wacky – it might even be the most playfully rebellious animated film for kids since Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The plot – about Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria trying to return to New York while being chased by a determined animal control officer (Frances McDormand) – isn’t perfect, but the movie has the fast pace and over-the-top humor of a classic Looney Tunes cartoon.

14. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)

While a definite step up from the 2007 Ghost Rider movie, Spirit of Vengeance doesn’t quite reach the over-the-top energy you’d expect from a Nicolas Cage superhero film. The Ghost Rider character and his motorcycle look much better this time around, though he doesn’t appear on screen as often. Cage has some good moments, but his performance is actually stranger and more memorable in the first movie, where he adopts an odd Elvis-like accent and exaggerated mannerisms. Here, he sounds more like himself and saves his wilder outbursts for a few scenes. The Ghost Rider series showed promise, and a third film could have potentially delivered something truly unique and unforgettable.

13. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)

Vin Diesel approached 2017’s Return of Xander Cage with a self-aware humor, recognizing the absurdity of playing an extreme sports enthusiast and secret agent at his age. Unlike the serious tone of the original xXx (2002), Diesel embraced the silliness, delivering a more relaxed and playful performance. While his tattoos are the only consistent link to the first film, he clearly enjoys himself. The original xXx now feels quite dated compared to the classic James Bond films it tried to update, but Return of Xander Cage acknowledges its own over-the-top nature, which makes it still enjoyable.

12. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

While still flawed, Revenge of the Sith is the best of the Star Wars prequel films. The story of Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader feels somewhat over-the-top, but the film’s ending – with Vader and the Emperor overlooking the newly constructed Death Star – is genuinely unsettling. It’s refreshing to see a big-budget movie that doesn’t shy away from darkness and features significant character deaths or the corruption of its heroes.

11. Desperado (1995)

Robert Rodriguez’s first film, El Mariachi (1992), is famous for being made with an incredibly low budget – only $7,000, partially funded through medical experiments. While the story behind the making of El Mariachi is well-known, it’s easy to forget the film’s limited resources. Rodriguez’s second film benefited from a larger Hollywood budget and featured rising stars Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. This sequel was a significant improvement over the original, boasting better acting, sharper filmmaking, and more exciting action sequences.

10. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012)

While the original Universal Soldier (1992) was a fairly standard action film, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is a remarkably strange and inventive sequel. It uses the established franchise as a springboard for a truly unique movie that likely wouldn’t have been made otherwise. This sixth installment in the series, about revived soldiers reprogrammed as assassins, is psychedelic and bizarre. Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a character reminiscent of Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now, building an army to carry out twisted commands. Scott Adkins takes on a role similar to Captain Willard, tasked with finding and stopping him. Though the concept borrows from Apocalypse Now, the execution is fresh and memorable, filled with false memories, surreal dream sequences, and intense action.

9. Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)

This new Undisputed film is a step up from the 2002 original, which was a decent, if simple, boxing movie similar to The Longest Yard. This third installment focuses on Boyka, a character from the previous film, and reimagines him as a fighter trying to earn an early release from prison by competing in an MMA tournament. The plot is straightforward, but the fight scenes are fantastic – brutal, well-choreographed, and filmed with dynamic, sweeping camera work by director Isaac Florentine. It’s a movie I could watch again and again.

8. The Suicide Squad (2021)

James Gunn’s move from Marvel to DC proved beneficial for the Suicide Squad franchise. After a controversial firing from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Gunn was given the chance to revamp the struggling DC series. He wisely kept the strongest elements from the first Suicide Squad – Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller – and started fresh with a new cast. Gunn injected a lot more humor and introduced fantastic new characters like Idris Elba’s Bloodsport and John Cena’s Peacemaker, a darkly comedic take on the patriotic superhero. The result is a bloody, funny, and surprisingly beautiful film – essentially, the movie fans hoped the original Suicide Squad would be.

7. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

Compared to the first Ouija movie (2014), this sequel – which actually takes place earlier in the timeline – is surprisingly good. While the original felt like a typical marketing tie-in from a toy company, this one stands out. Director Mike Flanagan, who later became known for scary TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, took a potentially simple premise and crafted a genuinely creepy and atmospheric story. It explores the ghosts that haunt people dealing with grief, regardless of whether they try to contact spirits with a Ouija board.

6. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

While the first Next Generation movie, Generations (1994), had a bumpy launch, the series found its footing with First Contact. This film features Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew traveling back in time to prevent the Borg from destroying the Federation’s future. With high stakes and a compelling performance by Patrick Stewart – who brings Picard’s personal vendetta against the Borg to life, stemming from events in the Next Generation TV show – First Contact is a strong sequel and stands alongside Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as one of the best Star Trek films.

5. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

The original Friday the 13th (1980) followed the formula of popular slasher films like John Carpenter’s Halloween. It took a few sequels for the series to really hit its stride and introduce its iconic villain, Jason Voorhees (who isn’t even the killer in the first movie!). While The Final Chapter was a step up from the original, Part VI: Jason Lives is arguably even better. It’s self-aware, playfully acknowledging the conventions of slasher films and even foreshadowing the meta-horror style seen in movies like Scream. Ultimately, it’s a much more enjoyable experience than the first Friday the 13th.

4. Fast Five (2011)

While The Fast & the Furious (2001) showed promise, Fast Five is where the series truly took off. It evolved from a fun, quirky thriller about street racing into an over-the-top action franchise. The film shifts away from racing and becomes a classic heist movie, similar to Ocean’s 11, but fueled by high-octane energy and incredible stunts. What sets Fast Five apart is the strong bond between the characters. Unlike typical heist films focused on detached professionals, this movie centers on a close-knit group who consider themselves family – a theme that becomes central to the entire franchise. When faced with difficult choices, they prioritize loyalty and friendship over personal gain.

3. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

George Miller saw Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior as a chance to build on what he learned from making the first Mad Max. And he clearly succeeded. While the original Mad Max was a bit rough around the edges – despite Mel Gibson’s strong performance and some good car chases – The Road Warrior is a truly epic film. It’s a powerful story about a hero haunted by the past who finds strength through action and sacrifice. The Road Warrior is much more ambitious and emotionally resonant than the first film, and it was so successful that it overshadowed its predecessor.

2. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Following up on the 2004 film Hellboy, The Golden Army is a significant improvement in nearly every way. The first movie’s less engaging characters have been removed—even addressed with a joke about transferring one to Antarctica—and the villains in this installment are much more compelling. Interestingly, their belief that humanity is flawed almost makes them sympathetic. The special effects are more polished, the creature designs are even more imaginative and reflect Guillermo del Toro’s signature style, and every character has more at stake. Even the quirky Abe Sapien gets a meaningful storyline and a romantic interest! Many feel Guillermo del Toro deserved an Oscar for this film rather than The Shape of Water.

1. Logan (2017)

Few sequels represent such a massive improvement over their predecessors as Logan does compared to X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Logan finally allows the character to be the gritty, tragic hero he was meant to be. The film’s R-rating enabled a darker, more impactful story, especially fitting for a tale about the hero’s last days. It also created genuine tension for a character whose healing ability usually made fights feel consequence-free.

In Logan, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is aging, and his mutant powers are failing – a development that might be welcome if he didn’t suddenly have a new reason to fight. That reason is Laura (Dafne Keen), a young woman created using Logan’s DNA, essentially making her the closest thing he’ll ever have to a daughter. This setup provides a powerful foundation for a final Wolverine story, and writer/director James Mangold tells it with a perfect balance of sadness and strength.

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2026-04-15 05:28