Jamie Dornan has acknowledged the pressure of taking over the role of Aragorn in the next Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum, but said he is not trying to outdo Viggo Mortensen. In an interview with French magazine L'Officiel, Dornan said: 'There is pressure when you try to follow those footsteps.' He added that Aragorn will always be Mortensen for him and that Mortensen's performance is one of his all-time favorites. Dornan said he had been asked to play an iconic role and would do his best, while feeling honored to try to recapture at least some of the energy Mortensen originally brought to the character. He stressed that no part of him is trying to surpass Mortensen.
Directed by Andy Serkis, who will also return as Gollum, The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled for release on December 17, 2027. The film is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. Its plot centers on the search for Gollum, a mission Gandalf entrusts to Aragorn because he fears the creature knows information about the Ring's whereabouts.
Several actors from the earlier films are returning. Ian McKellen will play Gandalf again, Elijah Wood will reprise the role of Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace will return as the elf Thranduil, a character he played in The Hobbit trilogy. Dornan is one of the main protagonists as the new Aragorn.
The film will also add new characters to the Tolkien universe. Kate Winslet will play Marigol, Leo Woodall will play Halvard, a character from the Rangers people, and Anya Taylor-Joy will play Seren, a Sindar elf who serves in the Woodland Realm as one of King Thranduil's trusted agents.
The Hunt for Gollum will be Serkis's fifth feature as director, following Breathe (2017), Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Animal Farm (2025). The film will delve into Gollum's psychology and evolution, exploring his story before he became the being obsessed with the Ring.
Sources: elDiario.es.