Andy Serkis returns to Middle-earth as director and star in new ‘Lord of the Rings’ installment; horror hit Evil Dead gets new chapter, and M. Night Shyamalan teams up with Nicholas Sparks for romantic thriller Remain
Washington DC [US], May 9: Middle-earth fans have reason to rejoice as Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have officially announced that The Hunt for Gollum, a new film in The Lord of the Rings universe, will hit theatres on December 17, 2027, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
The film will be directed by Andy Serkis, who will also reprise his iconic role as Gollum. Reuniting with Serkis are Oscar-winning filmmakers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, who will serve as producers. The screenplay is being written by Walsh and Boyens, alongside Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.
The Hunt for Gollum will dive deeper into the shadowy past of one of Tolkien’s most enigmatic characters, offering fans a fresh narrative thread that expands the cinematic Middle-earth universe.
Alongside this major fantasy announcement, Warner Bros. also revealed several other high-profile releases:
- A new installment in the Evil Dead franchise, following the success of Evil Dead Rise, is slated to arrive in North American cinemas on July 24, 2026. The film will star Souheila Yacoub and be produced by Rob Tapert and Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi, with Bruce Campbell returning as executive producer.
- A romantic thriller titled Remain, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, will release globally on October 23, 2026. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, and Ashley Walters, and is co-created with bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, who will publish a novel version of Remain on October 7, 2025.
With The Hunt for Gollum, a return to the horror roots of Evil Dead, and a genre-bending collaboration between Shyamalan and Sparks, Warner Bros. has packed the coming years with cinematic excitement for fantasy, horror, and romance lovers alike.