October 10th 2024.
In the iconic Lord of the Rings film series, actor Hugo Weaving brought the character of Elrond to life on the big screen. However, with news of a new film set in the same universe, Weaving has made it clear that he will not be making a comeback.
The highly anticipated prequel, set to be released in 2026, will be produced by Peter Jackson, the mastermind behind the beloved LOTR movies. This time, the focus will be on the character of Gollum, played by Andy Serkis, who will also be directing the film. While Serkis has confirmed his involvement, Weaving has stated that he has no desire to reprise his role as Elrond.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, the 64-year-old actor expressed that he has "had enough" of Middle Earth and the LOTR franchise. He fondly remembers his time spent in New Zealand over the course of ten years, but has since moved on to other projects. Weaving did reunite with Jackson and writer Fran Walsh for the film Mortal Engines, but unfortunately, it did not garner the same success as LOTR.
Weaving also pointed out that he would not be the right fit for the role of Elrond anymore, as the character is an "immortal being" while he has aged. He explained, "Even when we went back to reshoot certain parts of Lord of the Rings, I was aware I was older than I was before. And shooting stuff on The Hobbit was starting to get slightly silly."
It's not just Weaving who has reservations about returning to the franchise. Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, has also expressed reluctance, stating that he would only consider returning if it was the right fit for his character and his age.
Details about the new film, titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, are being kept under wraps. However, Warner Bros CEO David Zaslav has promised that it will "explore storylines yet to be told." The studio has also confirmed plans for multiple films set in the LOTR universe.
In a statement, Warner Bros studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy said, "With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings cinematic history."
Fans will have to wait until 2026 to see the new film, but for now, Weaving and Mortensen have made it clear that they will not be a part of it. As for any other potential returns from the original cast, we will have to wait and see if they are "right" for the characters in terms of their age and the story.
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