Elijah Wood doesn’t want anybody else to play Frodo — and might be returning himself as the iconic fantasy character.
In a new interview with The Times UK, Wood was directly asked if he would appear in Warner Bros.’ upcoming The Lord of the Rings prequel movie The Hunt for Gollum, which is directed by Gollum actor Andy Serkis. Wood is described as breaking into a grin at the question.
“It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag,” he says, referring to actor Ian McKellen confirming his own return as Gandalf the Gray. “So there is a good chance. I’m not able to officially say anything until it’s announced, but I will say I’m thrilled with the prospect of another film. It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together. I’m just excited.”
When the interviewer noted that McKellen said he wouldn’t want anybody else to play Gandalf, Wood added, “I totally get that. I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I’m alive and able. And I can also recognize what fun that is going to be — when you are in the cinema and you see the hat turn around and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together.”
While the actor obviously stopped short of confirming he’ll be back, in general, actors tend not to say things like “it hasn’t been officially announced” and “there is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together” and “I’m just excited” and imply they read the script of a project they’re not in.
The Hunt for Gollum tells the story of events that took place between The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, when Aragorn and Gandalf set out on a quest to find Gollum to acquire more information about Bilbo’s mysterious ring.
Director Peter Jackson is back on board as a producer, along with his producing partners on the earlier films, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is planned for a Dec. 17, 2027 release.