The Hunt for Gollum has just ended its own search for a female lead. And it was definitely a successful journey, since the film has signed one of the best, most celebrated performers in the industry. Deadline reports that Academy Award winner Kate Winslet has signed on to star in director Andy Serkis’ Lord of the Rings spinoff movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Winslet is the latest big name to sign up for Middle-earth’s next big screen adventure. Winslet has reportedly agreed to play the leading, unknown female role in The Hunt for Gollum. The Titanic and Mare of Easttown star joins Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Serkis himself in the film, and both will reprise their own iconic The Lord of the Rings roles in a story that will follow Aragorn as he tries to find Gollum before Sauron can find the One Ring. It’s based on footnotes J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about events that happened between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.
Despite not directing, Peter Jackson is heavily involved with the production. That might have helped Gollum/Serkis land just a big fish in Winslet. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum won’t be her first time working in either New Zealand or on a Peter Jackson project. She starred in his critically-acclaimed 1994 film Heavenly Creatures, which also filmed there.
Taking on the leading role is no small decision, though. Apparently, joining The Hunt for Gollum will include Winslet uprooting her entire family. She’s taking her own clan with her to New Zealand for the planned five-month shoot of The Lord of the Rings movie, which starts in May.
As for who Winslet could be playing, we’ll likely find out soon enough. With pre-production already underway and filming starting soon, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is expected to premiere in 2027. If it goes as well as its own hunt for a leading actress, it’ll be another great entry in Middle-earth’s filmography.