The idea of Andy Serkis returning to play his iconic character in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is certainly exciting, but I feel it’s a mistake to focus primarily on this тιтular character. This return to Middle-earth will be Serkis’ first since The Hobbit and should place his character, Gollum, in a far more prominent role. He isn’t the only one, however. Hunt for Gollum is expected to adapt a story mentioned in the Fellowship of the Ring book and should include characters like Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and the Dark Lord Sauron as well.

Near the beginning of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells Frodo a brief story about how he had instructed Aragorn to hunt down and capture Gollum. The Grey Wizard knew that Bilbo had gotten his golden ring from Gollum back during the events of The Hobbit and needed the creature to confirm if this was actually Sauron’s One Ring. While Aragorn searched, the Dark Lord Sauron also looked for answers. It was a race against time, all the while Frodo kept the Ring in question at the Shire. This is when The Hunt For Gollum will be set—but Gollum himself can’t be the primary focus.

The Hunt For Gollum Should Be More About Aragorn & Gandalf Than Gollum

These Are The Characters Hunting For Gollum

I am as excited as anyone else to see Serkis return to play Gollum. However, when looking at the story Hunt for Gollum aims to tell, it’s apparent that he isn’t the only important character here. Gollum may be the pitiful creature everyone is racing to find, but the true draw of the upcoming movie would be the characters conducting the search. This is a rare chance to see Gandalf and Aragorn’s partnership before the War of the Ring truly picks up, with Aragorn as a mysterious ranger and Gandalf only a wandering pilgrim. Theirs is the mission I’m truly eager to see in The Hunt for Gollum.

Gandalf and Aragorn’s mission here is even more exciting when considering who they are competing against. At this point in The Lord of the Rings, Sauron has regained significant influence. The Ringwraiths have regained their ability to take form, and various other villainous servants of Sauron are on the hunt for Gollum, just like Gandalf and Aragorn. What I’m eager to see in Hunt for Gollum is a hunt that spans Middle-earth. Sure, there should be scenes done from Gollum’s perspective as he searches for his precious ring while avoiding Aragorn and Sauron, but the hunters are the true power players here.

Andy Serkis’ Gollum Should Still Have An Expanded Arc From The Book

Gollum Is Key To The Overarching Story In Lord Of The Rings

We don’t know much about what Gollum was doing while Aragorn and Sauron hunted for him, aside from the fact that he had left his solitude in search of Bilbo Baggins and his precious Ring. For this reason, Hunt for Gollum can do something truly valuable by exploring Gollum’s perspective. Though wretched by nature, Gollum is key to the Ring’s destruction in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien noted that the god of Middle-earth, Eru Iluvatar, used Gollum as an essential piece within destiny. The upcoming Lord of the Rings movie can demonstrate precisely how Gollum’s fate began.

While the hunters should be the primary focus of Hunt for Gollum, the тιтular character is obviously everyone’s primary goal. Interestingly, both the forces of good and evil are successful at capturing Gollum in the story. At one point, Aragorn travels to Mirkwood with Gollum, and I would be interested to see the dynamic between them during this journey. Does Aragorn treat Gollum with kindness? He would surely be more merciful than Sauron, who also successfully captures and tortures Gollum. Serkis’ character even gets an in-person look at Sauron’s true form, so his perspective in Hunt for Gollum is highly valuable.

The Next LOTR Movie Centering Gandalf & Aragorn Will Only Work Under 1 Condition

Recasting Would Be A No-Go

While I’m eager to see Gandalf and Aragorn’s hunt for Gollum take center stage in the upcoming movie, I’m concerned that this won’t be possible. The only way these characters could take the primary roles is if they are played by Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen, neither of whom has been confirmed to return for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Of course, Mortensen rejoining Jackson’s Lord of the Rings franchise would be complicated since it has been over 20 years since he first took up his role. Yet, his character is meant to be the same age.

Mortensen’s Aragorn would have to be aged down using CGI in The Hunt for Gollum, and that’s only if the actor agrees to return. Serkis may decide that recasting characters like Aragorn or Gandalf is a better bet—something I would be far less eager to see. If this is the route the upcoming movie is forced to take, then I would much prefer Gollum serve as the primary character. A slightly weighted balance between the hunters and the hunted would be ideal, but without the original Lord of the Rings actors, we could settle for less.