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Why isn't Peter Jackson directing the next Lord of the Rings movie? Because Andy Serkis knows Gollum better
Sure, Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy defined the cinematic Middle-earth, but when it came to Smeagol getting a solo storyline, he knew there was only one guy to direct
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For the first time in over 25 years, Peter Jackson is not directing a Lord of the Rings movie. The Hunt for Gollum, which heads to theaters in late 2027, will instead see Andy Serkis taking the helm, as well as playing the titular character he made so famous. But don't think that Serkis had to steal that role from the man that made the greatest cinematic trilogy of all time - according to Jackson himself, there's no one more suited for it.
That's what Jackson told Variety. At one moment during the discussion, Jackson was asked point-blank why he wasn't directing the next film, which also sees Lee Pace returning to the role of The Hobbit's elven king Thranduil.
"The film is about Gollum’s psychology and addiction," Jackson told the outlet, "I thought, 'Andy knows this guy better than anybody.' So I actually I didn’t think much of me [directing the new movie]. I thought the most exciting version of this movie is if Andy Serkis makes it."
To be fair, Jackson is putting creative energy into the Hunt for Gollum, just not from the director's chair. He'll be serving as one of the film's producers and is helping to write the story, duties he shares with OG LOTR screenwriters/producers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum slinks into theaters December 17, 2027. Before that, though, get a sneak peek of what's headed to the small screen Middle-Earth with this look at The Rings of Power season 3 from Popverse's own Lore Corner.
Whether you're Shirefolk, Elven, Dwarven, or something else, there's a good reason to love Lord of the Rings. We do! With that in mind, we have a dragon's horde of goodies for you:
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