It’s been many decades since J.R.R. Tolkien first published The Hobbit, creating one of the most beloved fantasy franchises. When Peter Jackson decided to adapt The Lord of the Rings novels into an epic trilogy, it was a significant risk, but it paid off in the end and resulted in another trilogy based on The Hobbit. However, the LOTR universe hasn’t concluded yet, as The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will bring one of the best secondary characters of the franchise to the forefront. Gollum, played by Andy Serkis, is a complex figure in LOTR.

Gollum is enthralled by the One Ring and at war with himself throughout the story. He lives for many years and impacts the lives of both Bilbo and Frodo when they embark on their adventures. As time has progressed, it’s clear that there’s a deeper interest in Gollum and his origin story, and the upcoming movie could fill in these gaps. There are ways that The Hunt for Gollum can answer questions about Lord of the Rings that have been plaguing audiences for years and give further insight into Gollum as both a villain and a tragic figure in LOTR​​​​​​.

The Hunt For Gollum Can Expand On One Of The Hobbit Movies’ Best Scenes

The Hobbit features an incredible moment between Bilbo and Gollum

Now that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum has been confirmed, there’s a lot of excitement brewing for the next installment of the iconic fantasy franchise. Since Serkis will be directing the movie and likely starring as Gollum, the actor-director should look toward the past iterations of the story to mine for moments that reveal Gollum’s character. One of the best examples of this is in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, when Gollum and Bilbo have a chance encounter. Their interaction changes the course of the story forever.

Gollum’s movie must include this scene and show more of the aftermath from Gollum’s perspective.

In An Unexpected Journey, the audience witnesses Bilbo find the Ring after Gollum loses it and shows two very vulnerable sides of the characters. While Bilbo contemplates killing Gollum, Gollum is distressed about losing the Ring, showing the audience a vital moment in his development. Though The Hobbit movies took many liberties with the book, this moment is true to Tolkien’s world and is brilliantly brought to life. Gollum’s movie must include this scene and show more of the aftermath from Gollum’s perspective. The way Gollum’s mind fractures after this moment is critical in his development.

Movie
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
92%
95%

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
95%
95%

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
94%
86%

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
64%
83%

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
74%
85%

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
59%
74%

The Hobbit Trilogy’s Gollum Scene Showed A New Side Of The Character After LOTR

How the viewer sees Gollum changes based on the movie

In Jackson’s LOTR trilogy, the viewer feels a lot of sympathy for Gollum and starts to see him as someone helplessly tainted by the Ring rather than as an antagonist. It’s through Frodo’s kindness and willingness to believe that Gollum can change and has retained some humanity that his death in The Return of the King is made meaningful. However, this more empathetic take on Gollum isn’t part of An Unexpected Journey, as Gollum’s violence and selfishness come to the surface in his scene with Bilbo. A movie dedicated to Gollum can grapple with every side of him.

This is similar to the flashback in LOTR when the audience witnesses Gollum kill his friend because of the Ring. While the Ring corrupts him, it also brings out the parts of him that had been hidden and lying dormant. It’s been hinted that The Hunt For Gollum will be similar to The Two Towers, the second movie in the LOTR trilogy, which dives into Gollum and his role in Frodo’s perilous task. LOTR shows how Gollum attempts to quiet the villainous parts of himself, but the scene between him and Bilbo represents how easily he succumbs to them.

The Next Lord Of The Rings Movie Is A Chance To Explore Gollum’s Perspective

The Hunt For Gollum will show audiences parts of Gollum never seen before

Most of the time in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit​​​​​​, Gollum is viewed from the perspectives of others, namely Frodo and Bilbo. However, in The Hunt for Gollum, a larger version of his story will be told, and audiences will see him through the eyes of other characters. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how Bilbo and Frodo’s opinions of him compare within the same movie. How much of Gollum’s personality is truly antagonistic and how much is fueled by the Ring is up for debate.

Hopefully, The Hunt For Gollum will provide answers to these questions and demonstrate every aspect of Gollum’s life, from when he was Smeagol to his eventual death in pursuit of the Ring. Like every character in the franchise, Gollum isn’t one-dimensional, and there are plenty of hidden clues and scenes not included in the existing movies that will populate a story about Gollum. It will be thrilling to see how this changes the audience’s perspective on multiple characters, not just Gollum.