Andy Serkis & Stephen Colbert’s Lord of the Rings Movies are a Necessary Risk

Allowing Andy Serkis and Stephen Colbert to shape two Lord of the Rings movies is an important moment for this cinematic universe. These are necessary risks that will shape the future of The Lord of the Rings franchise.

First up is The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Serkis will direct and reprise his role as Gollum from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou will pen the screenplay. Set between The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the movie follows Aragorn’s and Gandalf’s quest to find Gollum before Sauron learns the One Ring’s location.

As for Colbert, he is writing a new Lord of the Rings movie with Boyens and his son, Peter McGee. The working title is The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, and it covers the early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring.

Peter Jackson has been the architect of The Lord of the Rings franchise as the director and co-writer of the last six live-action movies. In The Hunt for Gollum and Shadows of the Past, Jackson will only serve as a producer. It’s certainly a gamble to let new filmmakers create stories in the LOTR universe. However, this risk is justified.

Why the new Lord of the Rings movies are a smart decision

Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies are considered one of the best trilogies ever created. The third movie, The Return of the King, went 11-for-11 at the Academy Awards, including wins for Best Picture and Best Director. Anything Jackson directs going forward will be unfairly compared to the first three movies.

Look at the lukewarm reception of The Hobbit trilogy. All three movies grossed over $955 million worldwide, but critically failed to reach the heights of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Removing Jackson as the writer and director of The Hunt for Gollum and Shadows of the Past doesn’t fully eliminate the comparisons; However, it allows the movies to be judged more fairly as their own entries into the franchise. Plus, it’s time for new voices to see what they can do with J. R. R. Tolkien’s works.

The Lord of the Rings movies will likely one day go on without Jackson. If the movies from Serkis and Colbert are well-received, it could open the door for other filmmakers to join the franchise and craft their own movies.

The first test will be The Hunt for Gollum, in theaters on December 17, 2027.