Kate Winslet is reportedly in discussions to star as the female lead in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
The English actress, who recently appeared in Avatar: Fire and Ash directed by James Cameron, is expected to join Andy Serkis. Serkis will both direct the film and reprise his iconic role as the creature Gollum from the original trilogy. Details about Winslet’s character have not yet been revealed.
Production for the actress, best known for her role in Titanic, is expected to take place in New Zealand between May and October.
So far, Warner Bros. has not officially confirmed the full cast for the project. However, there is speculation that Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen could return to reprise their roles as Frodo Baggins and Gandalf.
Meanwhile, although fans had hoped that Viggo Mortensen would return as Aragorn, recent speculation suggests the role may be recast for the new film.
The project is being produced by Peter Jackson, who originally brought J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels to the big screen. Jackson is working alongside longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.
The film will reunite Winslet and Jackson, who previously worked together on the 1994 movie Heavenly Creatures.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled for release in theatres on December 17, 2027. While the main storyline remains undisclosed, reports suggest the film will be set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.
The The Lord of the Rings film series and its prequel trilogy The Hobbit film series were major box-office successes, with each trilogy generating roughly $2.8 billion worldwide.
