Peter Jackson Explains Why He Isn't Directing the Next 'Lord of the Rings' Movie
Jackson said the film’s psychological focus on Gollum made Serkis the stronger choice, and he will give the actor-director broad freedom.
- Andy Serkis will direct The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for release on December 17, 2027, as Peter Jackson steps back to produce the film.
- Jackson passed on directing to avoid retreading ground, believing Serkis knows Gollum's psychology better than anyone and will deliver the most exciting version.
- While Jackson remains involved as producer, production begins in New Zealand with returning stars Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo, and Lee Pace reprising Thranduil.
- Speaking at Cannes Film Festival, Jackson defended motion-capture performances, arguing it is unfair that Serkis has no award hope due to AI fears when his work is human-generated 100% of the way.
- Jackson is writing a second Tintin film script while The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, co-written by Stephen Colbert, will follow Hunt for Gollum in theaters.
22 Articles
22 Articles
'The Hunt for Gollum': Why Andy Serkis Is Directing the Next 'Lord of the Rings' Movie, Not Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, recently shared why he won't be directing The Hunt for Gollum. The upcoming film will follow Strider/Aragorn's (Jamie Dornan) quest to capture Gollum (formerly Sméagol) before he can reveal the Ring's location to Sauron. Andy Serkis will not only reprise his role as Gollum but also direct the movie. Peter Jackson Explains Why He's Not Directing 'The Hunt for Gollum' While ac…
Peter Jackson Compares New Gollum Movie to Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’
Peter Jackson says his long-delayed “The Adventures of Tintin” sequel is finally underway, revealing at Cannes that he is actively writing the screenplay with Fran Walsh while also comparing Andy Serkis’ upcoming “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” to Todd Phillips’ “Joker.” After a decade spent focusing on documentaries and film technology, Peter Jackson is preparing to return to feature filmmaking. First as producer on Andy Serkis’s 2…
Peter Jackson explains why he isn't directing the next 'Lord of the Rings' movie
"I didn't really think much about the idea of me doing it at all," the director said of "The Hunt for Gollum."Peter Jackson at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.Credit: Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via GettyKey PointsPeter Jackson said he "didn't really think about the idea" of directing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in the previous films, is helming the project instead."I thought, well, this story would actually b…
Peter Jackson, who was awarded an honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes, is also on the Cote d'Azur these days. The director also spoke about why he didn't take on the role of directing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. "I could have directed it, but I thought, I've already done that."
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 89% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
