Peter Jackson Has Explained Why He's Not Directing Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has explained why he’s not in charge of the franchise’s next chapter — The Hunt for Gollum — and why he thinks Gollum actor Andy Serkis will do a “more exciting” job.

Speaking at the Cannes film festival (via Variety), Jackson answered questions around the upcoming Middle-earth movie — the first of several to revive the franchise for the big screen over the next couple of years.

As its name suggests, The Hunt for Gollum will see numerous characters (Gandalf! Aragorn! Sauron!) tracking the fallen hobbit to find out what has become of the One Ring. It’s a prequel to Fellowship of the Ring (where we discover that Bilbo has had it all along), and a further chance for Andy Serkis to show off his motion capture mastery.

“I could have directed it but I just thought, ‘I’ve done it,'” Jackson said, acknowledging the fact he had already helmed the full Lord of the Rings trilogy, and was only drafted in to direct The Hobbit after Guillermo del Toro dropped out.

“And it’s not because of me that I thought, ‘I’ve done it,'” Jackson continued. “I thought it would be more interesting… [if] Gollum himself, Andy Serkis, directed it. Because the film is pretty much an internal story about Gollum’s psychology and addiction.

“It’s a very personal story to Gollum, the character, and I thought that Andy knows this guy better than anybody. So I actually didn’t really think much of me at all. I thought the most exciting version of this movie is if Andy Serkis makes it because he’s going to put Gollum’s psychology on screen like you can’t imagine.”

The Hunt for Gollum filming is now about to begin in New Zealand, with Ian McKellen back as Gandalf, Elijah Wood returning as Frodo, and Lee Pace reprising his character from The Hobbit, elven king Thranduil. Aragorn, however, has been recast — seemingly due to Viggo Mortensen declining to participate. Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan will now take on the Ranger’s role.

Jackson concluded by stating he was now “leaving [Serkis] to it,” while being on-hand for assistance if it was required.

“I’m leaving him to it,” Jackson said. “I’m there to help if I can help, if I can be of assistance at certain times, I’m there. But I’m giving him as much freedom as I can, because giving Andy freedom to make that movie will result in the best possible film.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is due to land in theaters on December 17, 2027. It will be followed by The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, the film now being co-written by Stephen Colbert, which will adapt unseen elements from Tolkein’s Fellowship of the Ring novel, told via flashback.

So, what is Jackson up to these days? As part of the same conversation at Cannes, the director said he was currently writing a script for his long-awaited second Tintin movie, 15 years on from the first adventure’s release. Fans expect this project to adapt the classic comic book serials The Seven Crystal Balls and Prisoners of the Sun — or at least that was Jackson’s intention when he was working on the project around a decade ago.