Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast in The Hunt for Gollum as Seren, a brand-new character. The film is directed by Andy Serkis, who originated the role of Gollum.
Seren is a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm — a lethal operative serving King Thranduil, portrayed by Lee Pace.
"If my tombstone can say 'Lethal Elf,' I feel like I did a good job on this planet."
Growing up, Taylor-Joy wrongly assumed you had to pick between Harry Potter and LOTR. She finally watched Jackson's trilogy during COVID and now plans to read Tolkien's books.
Fans quickly drew comparisons to Tauriel — Evangeline Lilly's character from the Hobbit films, who also served Thranduil and remains one of those movies' most divisive additions.
The film fills a Tolkien gap: Gollum's whereabouts before The Fellowship of the Ring, as Gandalf, Aragorn, and Sauron's forces all close in on the Ring of Power.
AI de-aging will be used on Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen, both reprising their iconic roles more than 25 years after the 2001 original.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum hits theaters December 17, 2027.
A second film, The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, co-written by Stephen Colbert, is also in development.