Lord of the Rings Star Elijah Wood Says He Doesn't Want Anyone Else Playing Frodo 'As Long as I'm Alive and Able'

The Lord of the Rings prima Elijah Wood has said helium doesn’t privation anyone other playing Frodo “as agelong arsenic I’m live and able,” with his engagement with 2027 movie The Hunt for Gollum each but confirmed.

Speaking to The Times, the 45-year-old histrion danced astir his as-yet-unconfirmed quality successful adjacent year’s The Hunt for Gollum, but admitted helium felt akin to Ian McKellen, who precocious said helium couldn’t spot anyone other playing Gandalf.

“It hasn’t been officially announced, but astatine a normal past August, Ian benignant of fto the feline retired of the bag,” Wood said, referencing past year’s Lord of the Rings sheet astatine London's For the Love of Fantasy instrumentality convention.

“So determination is simply a bully chance. I’m not capable to officially accidental thing until it’s announced, but I volition accidental I’m thrilled with the imaginable of different film. It’s ever a small nerve-racking erstwhile radical speech astir caller movies for a satellite similar Middle-earth. Everyone gets a small protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this communicative is fun, thrilling. There is simply a genuine feeling of getting the set backmost together. “I’m conscionable excited.”

Then, referencing McKellen’s feelings connected playing Gandalf again, Wood said: “I surely wouldn’t privation anybody other to play Frodo either arsenic agelong arsenic I’m live and able. And I tin besides recognise what amusive that is going to beryllium — erstwhile you are successful the cinema and you spot the chapeau crook astir and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m besides a fan, and excited to spot however it each comes together.”

This isn’t the archetypal clip Wood has spoken astir The Hunt for Gollum. In October past year, helium said the film, acceptable betwixt The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, had a large publication and accumulation squad down it.

While immoderate person debated the request for a Smeagol spinoff, particularly aft mixed reactions to The Hobbit movie trilogy, Wood piled praise connected plans for The Hunt for Gollum, which volition reunite The Lord of the Rings manager and scriptwriters Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens with Gollum histrion Andy Serkis, who is acceptable to some prima successful and nonstop the film.

"I cognize a large woody astir it," Wood said astatine the time. "I've work it [the script]. It's truly good. There are immoderate fantastic radical involved. The happening that is truthful breathtaking is that it is truly getting the originative set backmost together.

"The encephalon spot down Lord of the Rings, Fran, Peter, Philippa, they are heavy involved," helium continued. "And then, the aforesaid accumulation designers. It is going to beryllium changeable successful New Zealand. So, it is going to transportation with it specified continuity with truthful galore radical who are a portion of Lord of the Rings, and I americium truly excited astir that. It feels similar getting that aged instrumentality up and moving again with each of the close people."

It has present been much than 20 years since audiences archetypal saw some characters sail disconnected from the Grey Havens astatine the extremity of Return of the King. With Hunt for Gollum acceptable respective years anterior to this, it remains to beryllium seen whether immoderate signifier of integer de-aging volition beryllium used. Indeed, Legolas histrion Orlando Bloom has antecedently expressed involvement successful besides returning, though suggested "AI would person to travel into play."

To date, lone Serkis himself has confirmed helium volition look successful the film, though Aragorn histrion Viggo Mortensen has said helium is besides unfastened to returning. The Hunt for Gollum is owed to statesman filming successful New Zealand adjacent year, up of its merchandise connected December 17, 2027.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].