New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movies Set for 2026 Release

Warner Bros. Discovery is gearing up for the release of not one, but two new live-action “Lord of the Rings” movies, with the first slated for a potential 2026 debut. This marks the first addition to the blockbuster series in a decade. The film will be directed by and star Andy Serkis, known for his role in the original trilogy, and produced by Peter Jackson, the director of the early 2000s trilogy.

During a recent earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed the development of the new movie, which is currently in the early stages of script development. Jackson is deeply involved in the project, ensuring that the new films will explore fresh narrative territories rather than serve as mere remakes of the beloved trilogy.

The first film, titled “The Hunt For Gollum,” is a collaboration between Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, all key figures behind both “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” series. Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in the original trilogy and reprised the role in “The Hobbit,” will direct. The movie is a joint effort between Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, the studio behind the original trilogy.

This announcement comes as Warner Bros. Discovery looks to capitalize on the immense success of the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies, which together grossed $6 billion. Zaslav views these franchises, along with “Harry Potter” and DC Comics, as crucial to the company’s future, though he believes they are currently underutilized.

In addition to the new movies, Warner Bros. is rebooting the “Harry Potter” franchise with a TV series on its Max streaming service, set to debut around the same time as the new “Lord of the Rings” film. The company has also enlisted director James Gunn to revamp its DC Comics superhero movies.

Fans can also look forward to a new animated “Lord of the Rings” movie, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” set to be released this Christmas. However, these new projects will face stiff competition from Amazon Prime’s “The Rings of Power,” a highly anticipated TV series set in the “Lord of the Rings” universe.

While Warner Bros. Discovery has seen growth in its streaming subscribers, its revenues dropped 7% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Nonetheless, the company’s stock price has remained stable, indicating continued investor confidence.