How Gandalf Could Be Used In The Hunt For Gollum

Audiences will be stepping back into the world of The Lord of the Rings in 2026 when The Hunt for Gollum is released, and some familiar faces are expected to appear. Of course, Andy Serkis will be reprising the role of Gollum, but Sir Ian McKellen is also likely to be part of the movie in some capacity.

The Lord of the Rings franchise screenwriter Philippa Boyens has previously told Empire that they’ve been “playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf.” The beloved wizard returning once again would be a welcome decision, and there are many different ways that he could be showcased.

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Showcasing The Battle Of The Balrog In More Detail

The Hunt for Gollum is expected to occur during a specific time between Bilbo’s birthday party and the Mines Of Moria, which is why Gandalf is likely to be involved in the story somehow. One way that could be achieved is by showcasing more details from the Battle of the Balrog.

It’s a major moment in The Lord of the Rings, because Gandalf is presumed dead when he’s dragged down. However, that’s not the case, and the two have an epic battle that the wizard inevitably wins. The original trilogy showcases this, but The Hunt for Gollum has a chance to showcase it in even more detail.

Making the most of modern effects, this battle could receive the love and attention that it truly deserves, considering its impact on Gandalf and the story overall. A unique way of achieving this would be to tell the battle through Gollum’s eyes, giving a different vantage point to the entire situation, as it’s known that he is in there with them. It would link the movies together and be a great, organic way to provide fan service, which is something that a spin-off like this needs to truly be successful in the eyes of long-term fans.

Inclued Gandalf & Gollum Scenes

Sir Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis are two splendid actors, but unfortunately, they don’t have any screen time together during The Lord of the Rings trilogy. That feels like a missed opportunity. It’s easy to imagine these two fantastic characters having some tense but entertaining dialogue with each other. Gandalf and Gollum are two of the franchise’s most iconic characters, and audiences would certainly want to see them together for some scenes to see how they interact with each other in Middle Earth.

Audiences would be intrigued to see whether Gandalf would be kind or cruel to Gollum, as characters tend to have mixed reactions to him. Gollum is also a master manipulator and loves to play games. Eatching him attempt to do that with someone as powerful and wise as Gandalf would make for some entertaining storytelling.

The entire film doesn’t need to be about the two characters together. The focus should undoubtedly be on Gollum. However, having him interact with Gandalf at least once in a meaningful scene would not only make fans happy, but deepen both characters and expand on their stories.

Gandalf Should Be The Reason For Aragorn’s Return

While it’s known that Gandalf will have some part in the movie, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a significant role. Audiences have already enjoyed his characters as a key part of six films in this franchise, so taking a step back wouldn’t be a negative. Gandalf could instead make a small cameo as a tip of the cap to fans of the original trilogy, while using him to usher in the return of another familiar face – Aragorn.

Aragorn’s inclusion in this film would make sense because Gandalf actually tasks him with hunting Gollum down, a storyline that hasn’t been explored yet in the movies. Many fans hope this story will include this, which will help this spin-off movie feel like a part of the franchise even more as it connects more dots. Having Gandalf in this role would provide more backstory to their relationship and the trust that they clearly already have in The Fellowship of the Ring, while also setting one of the major storylines for the entire movie. Aragorn is, after all, one of the most iconic characters from The Lord of the Rings, and bringing him back would prove to be a popular choice for fans.

The return of beloved characters would provide moviegoers with the nostalgia that always hits well with big franchises such as this, while also opening the door for a new character who wasn’t involved in The Hobbit movies. This would provide something unique for The Hunt for Gollum while also adding further lore and story to The Lord of the Rings, which will be beneficial if Warner Bros want to continue expanding this franchise.

The Lord of the Rings

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J. R. R. Tolkien

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