The Lord of the Rings is returning in the next few years with a new spin-off / prequel film about Gollum, as if the video game wasn’t enough of a cautionary tale.
This time it actually sounds good though as Peter Jackson is returning to direct, it’s filming in New Zealand and several cast members from the original trilogy are set to return, however one face is missing.
Viggo Mortensen, famed for playing Aragorn in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy is reportedly being recast, and as you’d expect the fans aren’t too happy about it.
This development comes from Lord of the Rings fan account TheOneRing on X, which reportedly said: “The conversations I had over the weekend were with real people—not just anonymous names on the internet… Based on those conversations, auditions for Aragorn are taking place this week in London. Aragorn is being recast, with auditions happening both in London and New Zealand.”
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This will likely come as a shock as Viggo Mortensen’s portrayal of Aragorn was flawless and arguably the best character in the trilogy, possibly tied with Samwise Gamgee.
On a more positive note it’s said that auditions don’t have big name actors in mind, they’re looking further afield for names audiences won’t know. That’s a saving grace as giving an unknown actor a shot at such a legendary fictional character would be a massive break for them if the film is a success.
Still though, fans aren’t best pleased that Viggo Mortensen isn’t returning.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum reportedly takes place 20 years before The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, and as such returning faces will need to either be aged down or not return at all. Sir Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood are reportedly reuniting for the film.
As for the plot, it somewhat makes this casting update make more sense. The plot will follow Gandalf recruiting Aragorn to find and capture Gollum before Sauron’s minions can.
We of course know how this story ends as it aims to bridge the gap between the The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies, as when Gollum is captured and tortured by Sauron’s army he reveals that a hobbit from The Shire stole the One Ring, which ultimately sets the events of the trilogy in motion.
It sounds like a decent flick, but it’s a shame Viggo Mortensen seemingly won’t be part of it, I fear it won’t be the same without him.
Topics: TV And Film, The Lord Of The Rings, Warner Bros