The movie coming out in December, the timing is even more crucial, with the stakes arguably higher than ever.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum movie has only confirmed Andy Serkis as Gollum so far, in of cast, with Serkis also directing. Serkis approached McKellen about playing Gandalf, but McKellen notably hasn't yet confirmed, despite previously saying he would like to play Gandalf again "if [he's] still alive" (via The Times). McKellen's good-humored approach to Gandalf belies what may be an exploitative usage of the character, on Warner Bros. part, and I'm wondering how Lord of the Rings will benefit from Hunt for Gollum overall.

Sir Ian McKellen's Hunt For Gollum Update Confirms My Biggest Fear About The Movie

The Hunt For Gollum May Prioritize Nostalgia

McKellen's planned return as Gandalf makes me concerned that the movie will be more style than substance, leaning into nostalgia to profit at the box office. I am just as nostalgic as anyone about Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, and Elijah Wood as Frodo, but I hope The Hunt for Gollum won't end up being an exercise in nostalgia. Gandalf's return suggests that The Hunt for Gollum will retread ground from The Fellowship of the Ring, rather than tackle the abundance of stories in the appendices. Overall, my concern is that this lucrative and nostalgic approach to filmmaking could compromise quality.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is speculated to be released in 2026.

It's not for me to jump to conclusions and second guess the work that Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou have done and will do to guarantee The Hunt for Gollum's intelligence, messaging, and thematic consistency. However, as a devoted fan, I can't help hoping that Tolkien's legacy will continue to be respected above and beyond commercial concerns. I would love for all future movies in the franchise to commit fully to embodying the themes and values of Tolkien's work, rather than flinging out action thriller scenes and comedy one-liners that crowds will lap up because of nostalgia.

Warner Bros. Lord Of The Rings Approach Makes Me Worried About The Franchise's Future

I Hope The Franchise Quality Remains High

Bringing the likes of McKellen, Mortensen, and Wood back for a new Lord of the Rings movie is sure to storm the box office, but may signify a wider challenge Warner Bros. is facing. Relying on nostalgia to make money seems understandable enough, although risky in of creative integrity. But I hope the franchise continues to correctly understand its source material, picking the right storylines from the content that it has the rights to - this may mean risky new territory for live-action. ​​I wonder if Hunt for Gollum's rehashing of well-established characters means the franchise is reluctant to look at new angles.

There are lots of stories from the legendarium to tell, and I hope this can be done in the future, even if Hunt for Gollum goes over familiar territory.

Lord of the Rings' appendices are rich in meaning worth circulating and preserving. Ensuring the profitable future of Lord of the Rings is essential to its continuation, but a good story is priceless. There are tales, like that of Arvedui, that could make for an innovative fantasy movie. This tale has a similar word count to that of antihero Helm Hammerhand, the subject of War of the Rohirrim, proving that an Arvedui project could be viable. There are lots of stories from the legendarium to tell, and I hope this can be done in the future, even if Hunt for Gollum goes over familiar territory.

Ian McKellen's Return As Gandalf Is Still Exciting (Even With Better Stories To Tell)

McKellen's Return Is More Than Welcome

Sir Ian McKellen coming back to The Lord of the Rings as Gandalf is phenomenal news, whatever it signifies for the franchise as a whole. I would like to see novel corners of the appendices explored more, with Arvedui being a good example. But with War of the Rohirrim signaling a new stage for the franchise, there is scope for The Hunt for Gollum to be a smart, novel, and authentically Tolkienian movie, as well as for Warner Bros. to boldly dive into lesser-known Tolkien tales in live-action and animation. As a fan, that's what I hope will secure The Lord of the Rings' future.

There may be a greater breadth of Tolkien stories to tell, even within Warner Bros. rights, than The Hunt for Gollum would make apparent. However, the of the Fellowship of the Ring were beloved for good reason - the Fellowship was made up of an incredible cast and based on a life-changing book. My concerns that The Hunt for Gollum may depend too much on a nostalgic crowd response will remain, but until I see the movie, I look forward to getting Ian McKellen back doing what he does best in The Lord of the Rings.

Source: The Times