Earlier last month, we at Knight Edge Media revealed that Strider is being recast in the upcoming spin-off, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. While this came as a shock to fans of Viggo Mortensen, it’s still possible for the 67-year-old actor to return in a cameo bookend role as King Elessar, much like Ian Holm in The Hobbit films, though that is pure speculation. Nevertheless, a majority of the film will feature a much younger Strider as he travels with Gollum back towards Mirkwood. In the casting call from early December, the actors they are looking for are around their 30’s. The casting call script featured a much more sarcastic (almost Han Solo-ish) Strider alongside his fellow Dúnedain Rangers as they speak to a woodland sprite. (It should be noted that not all casting call scripts end up in the final product.):
Female Woodland Sprite: Get back, or I shall curse you into ruin!
Young Strider: And what curse might that be?
Female Woodland Sprite: A powerful spell that will aim for your heart!
Young Strider: I have no heart. But he does, a big one. (Smirking)
Young Strider: Go on then, speak your magic.
Fellow Dúnedain: What are you doing?
Young Strider: She’s not a witch.
Female Woodland Sprite: Liar!
Young Strider: She’s a wood sprite.
Fellow Dúnedain: How do you know?
Young Strider: Show me her arm. It’s broken.
Young Strider: If she were a witch, she would have heal it herself.
Young Strider: She’s been tortured. Who did this to you?
Female Woodland Sprite: So it does have a heart. A strong heart. The heart of a King.
Young Strider: Not wholly without magic, then. Who hurt you? I can help you.
Female Woodland Sprite: There is no help, Dúnedain. The darkness has come. You are already cursed. But you know that, don’t you?
Casting is still underway for the role, with director Andy Serkis meeting with several actors since last month. According to TheOneRing.net, formal auditions/callbacks began earlier this week in London and New Zealand.
Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum hits theaters on December 17th, 2027