Summary
- The
Lord of the Rings
franchise is expanding with new TV shows and movies set in Middle-earth. -
The Rings of Power
season 2 and
The War of the Rohirrim
are among the upcoming projects. -
The Hunt for Gollum
will be directed by Andy Serkis and is part of a new wave of cinematic Middle-earth content.
The future of The Lord of the Rings looks bright, with several upcoming TV shows and movies set in Middle-earth currently in production. Since the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy began in 2001, the franchise’s movie & TV portfolio has expanded via prequels and spinoffs. The enduring legacy of Peter Jackson’s movies means rights holders are eager to produce more content derived from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books, and audiences are just as eager to consume it.
As of 2024, the only official Middle-earth movies and TV shows have been the animated Lord of the Rings adaptations released in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jackson’s subsequent The Hobbit trilogy, and Amazon’s The Rings of Power. The lack of further material is partially because the rights to adapt Tolkien’s work are split between various parties, but Warner Bros. and Amazon both currently have Middle-earth projects brewing in their respective pipelines, from prequel The Lord of the Rings movies to big-budget TV spinoffs.
Related
Lord Of The Rings Complete Timeline Explained (Including Rings Of Power & New Movie)
Rings of Power and War of the Rohirrim explore different points in the Lord of the Rings timeline, which spans thousands of years in Middle-earth.
4 The Rings Of Power Season 2
Release Date: August 29, 2024
The next confirmed project in The Lord of the Rings‘ future is the continuation of Amazon’s The Rings of Power. The Rings of Power season 2 will pick up where the last season left off, chronicling the War of the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age of Middle-earth. While it is unclear exactly what the story will be, The Rings of Power season 2’s cast will continue exploring the iconic Lord of the Rings characters featured in the show, including Galadriel and Elrond. This sophomore run will inevitably place more focus on how the titular Rings of Power are crafted after Sauron’s return in season 1.
Filming for The Rings of Power season 2 took place between October 2022 and June 2023, wrapping up before the strikes of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA paused production. As such, a release date of August 29, 2024, has been confirmed by Amazon Prime Video for The Rings of Power season 2. Trailer footage highlights Sauron’s “fair” form, Barad-Dûr, Sam Hazeldine as the recast Adar, and trouble in Moria.
3 The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim
Release Date: December 13, 2024
The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.
- Director
- Kenji Kamiyama
- Release Date
- December 13, 2024
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Cast
- Brian Cox , Miranda Otto , Gaia Wise , Luke Pasqualino , Laurence Ubong , Shaun Dooley
Of all the projects currently in production, the next Middle-earth movie will be The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Confirmed in 2021 by director Kenji Kamiyama, the animated The War of the Rohirrim is written by Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou from a story by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. Phillipa Boyens, co-writer of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, served as a story consultant, with The War of the Rohirrim acting as a spiritual prequel to Peter Jackson’s original trilogy.
Kenji Kamiyama is best known for
Eden of the East
and
Blade Runner: Black Lotus
.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will be set 183 years before The Two Towers. The middle chapter in Jackson’s trilogy was the first to introduce the Rohirrim, also known as the horse lords of Rohan, and the upcoming film’s story will center on Helm Hammerhand, the legendary king of Rohan who looks to defend his country against an army of Dunlendings. Succession‘s Brian Cox will voice Hammerhand himself, while other cast members include the returning Miranda Otto as Eowyn, Gaia Wise as Helm’s daughter, Hera, and Luke Pasqualino as Wulf, leader of the villainous Dunlendings.
|
Actor |
Character |
|---|---|
|
Brian Cox |
Helm Hammerhand |
|
Miranda Otto |
Éowyn |
|
Gaia Wise |
Hera |
|
Luke Pasqualino |
Wulf |
|
Laurence Ubong Williams |
Fréaláf Hildeson |
|
Shaun Dooley |
Freca |
2 The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum
Release Date: 2026
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (2026)
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is an upcoming fantasy adventure film that delves into the story of Gollum’s obsession with the One Ring. The film takes place during the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, exploring Gollum’s tumultuous past and his relentless pursuit of the Ring. Set in Middle-earth, the story navigates the treacherous landscapes and dark forces that threaten the fate of the Ring.
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Writers
- Fran Walsh , Philippa Boyens , Phoebe Gittins , Art Papageorgiou
Andy Serkis will both direct and star in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for release in 2026. The first live-action Lord of the Rings movie since Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy concluded in 2014 boasts Jackson himself as a producer. He’s joined by fellow Lord of the Rings producers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who are also writing the new installment alongside The War of the Rohirrim‘s Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Serkis’ social media announcement happily confirmed The Hunt for Gollum‘s production would return to the franchise’s spiritual home of New Zealand.
According to Tolkien’s books,
The Hunt for Gollum
should take place within a multi-year time skip that separates Bilbo’s birthday party and Frodo leaving the Shire, but Peter Jackson’s
The Fellowship of the Ring
glossed over this gap.
While no plot details for The Hunt for Gollum have been provided, the movie shares its title with a 15-year-old The Lord of the Rings fan film set near the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. If Andy Serkis’ upcoming movie follows its namesake, The Hunt for Gollum will cover the period Gollum was captured by Sauron and interrogated over the One Ring’s whereabouts. Gandalf and Aragorn were also seeking the artist formerly known as Sméagol during this period, leaving the door open for Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen to potentially reprise their roles.
1 New LOTR Movie Adapted From The Books By New Line Cinema
Release Date: TBA
Following confirmation of Andy Serkis’ Gollum prequel, further Lord of the Rings movies based on the books will be released by Warner Bros. In February 2023, it was announced that New Line Cinema – the studio involved in every Lord of the Rings production since 2001, including War of the Rohirrim and Rings of Power – had partnered with Middle-earth Enterprises. Upon doing so, the company quickly proceeded with development on a new series of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books.
Related
10 Lord Of The Rings Movies WB Could Make After Its Gollum Prequel
Warner Bros is officially making a Gollum prequel movie, but this won’t be the end. There are other Lord of the Rings stories that could be next.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be the first in this new wave of cinematic Middle-earth content, but the original 2023 press release mentioned “multiple feature films.” Precisely how many The Lord of the Rings movies that entails remains to be seen, but Gollum’s solo venture will certainly not be the final trip Warner Bros. takes into Middle-earth.















