The Lord of the Rings‘ next movie should feature a meeting between characters that was set up by The Hobbit. After the live-action Lord of the Rings movies debuted, the franchise also released The Hobbit trilogy and the anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. While The Hobbit and War of the Rohirrim were not as well-received, they do feature many exciting connections to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy that enrich the world-building of Middle-earth.

Some of the best connections have been when familiar characters return and when their pasts are explored. Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins’ shared history is integral to The Fellowship of the Ring, but it is not until The Hobbit movies that their past is shown in live-action. Other memorable connections include Legolas being in the second and third Hobbit movies, even though he does not appear in the source material, and Saruman acquiring Isengard during War of the Rohirrim‘s ending. The franchise can build on this with a character meeting that has not been shown yet.

The Hobbit Trilogy Suggests That Legolas & Aragorn Meet Before Lord Of The Rings

Thranduil Tells Legolas To Find Strider

Toward the end of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Thranduil suggests to Legolas that he find a ranger in the north who goes by the name of Strider. This, of course, is a reference to Aragorn being called Strider, a name that is familiar from his introduction in The Fellowship of the Ring. Thranduil’s suggestion sets a precedent for Aragorn and Legolas to meet during the years after The Battle of the Five Armies and before Fellowship of the Ring sees them both in Rivendell.

When The Battle of the Five Armies was released in 2014, it was seemingly the end of The Lord of the Rings movies. Thranduil’s suggestion was an effective way of filling in a gap between the trilogies. Now that the franchise is continuing with more movies, though, there is an opportunity to actually show Aragorn and Legolas meeting for the first time. Showing this meeting can provide more context to their relationship before they pledge to help Frodo reach Mordor and destroy the One Ring.

Hunt For Gollum Should Show Legolas & Aragorn Meeting Before Fellowship Of The Ring

The Movie Is Set Between The Two Trilogies

The Hunt for Gollum is confirmed to be the next Lord of the Rings movie and presents the perfect opportunity to show Aragorn and Legolas’ first meeting. The story is set after The Battle of the Five Armies and before The Fellowship of the Ring, which can allow Aragorn and Legolas’ meeting to work in terms of the canon timeline. Their meeting can serve as payoff for Thranduil’s suggestion and help bridge the gap between the two trilogies where their characters are concerned.

Andy Serkis is returning to play Gollum and Ian McKellen is reprising his role as Gandalf. Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom returning to play Aragorn and Legolas can add further appeal to The Hunt For Gollum given the popularity of their characters, especially if their first meeting is emphasized in the movie’s marketing. Seeing how Aragorn and Legolas first met can add more context to their relationship in the later movies, especially when they first make the choice to join the Fellowship and protect Frodo at all costs.

The Next Lord Of The Rings Movie Might Flip Thranduil’s Suggestion To Legolas

Aragorn May Be The One To Find Legolas

Thranduil’s suggestion makes it seem like Legolas will be the one to find Aragorn. However, Legolas’ next Lord of the Rings appearance may instead see Aragorn being the one to find him. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, Aragorn brings Gollum to Mirkwood after capturing him. Since Legolas lives in Mirkwood, Aragorn may cross paths with the elf while he is there. This would not provide a payoff for the tease at the end of The Battle of the Five Armies, but it would still ensure that Aragorn and Legolas get to meet.

If Aragorn arrives in Mirkwood during The Hunt for Gollum, and it is revealed that he and Legolas have already met, the movie could still show Aragorn and Legolas’ first meeting via flashbacks. Flashbacks can communicate the context needed for what happened when Aragorn and Legolas first met before seeing each other again in Mirkwood. Aragorn and Legolas’ first meeting will not be the focus of the next The Lord of the Rings movie, but it can still be a valuable moment in The Hunt for Gollum‘s story.