There are major franchises, and then there's The Lord of the Rings. Generations were brought up on the books, and Peter Jackson's film franchise (which is streaming with a Max subscription) was wildly successful. And following the Hobbit movies, that filmmaker is once again returning to Middle Earth with The Hunt for Gollum. Fans are wondering what beloved Lord of the Rings cast members might end up reprising their role alongside director Andy Serkis. And Orlando Bloom got real about returning as Legolas in the upcoming fantasy film.
Peter Jackson's new LOTR movie is still in development, but fans are definitely intrigued and questioning how it's going to go down. Folks are most interested to see if Lord of the Rings alums will appear, and Legolas seems like an obvious choice to bring back. Orlando Bloom was asked by Variety about this concept, saying:
I don't know how they'd do it. I guess with AI you can do anything these days. But, if Pete [Peter Jackson] says jump, I say, 'how high?' I mean, he started my whole career.
That's a pretty hopeful message, all things considered. While the Pirates of the Caribbean star admits that it might be challenging to try and become his elven character again, he'd seemingly be down to try if Peter Jackson called. Talk about loyalty.
Bloom mentions AI seemingly because, like the rest of the Lord of the Rings cast, he's aged quite a bit since wrapping. While Bloom was able to reprise his role as Legolas in the Hobbit movies, even that stopped back in 2014. It's been another decade, and Elves aren't exactly known for aging.
Later in that same interview, Bloom spoke about what he knows about The Hunt for Gollum. As we know, Peter Jackson is producing with Andy Serkis behind the director's chair (and playing the title role). The 47 year-old actor shared:
I really don't know what [they are planning]. I did speak to Andy [Serkis] and he did say they were thinking about hot do things. I was like, 'How would that even work?' And he was like, 'Well, AI!' and I was like, 'Oh, okay!' It was a pretty magical time in my life, and it's one of those things where there's not a downside to it.
Whether this means that Legolas will appear in The Hunt for Gollum remains a mystery for the time being, but these comments by Bloom are sure to keep fan discussions going. Lord of the Rings fans are nothing if not passionate.
Since moviegoers re-watch LOTR on the regular, this new story is sure to be exciting. But whether or not the new movie is able to have the same box office draw as its predecessors remains to be seen.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum doesn't currently have a release date. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
