The Lord of the Rings movies were hugely popular in the early 2000s, but it’s been a long time since a new film or series really captured that same magic. Peter Jackson revisited Middle-earth with The Hobbit trilogy after his successful Lord of the Rings films, but those movies weren’t as well-received. More recently, the animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim came out in 2024, but it didn’t reach the same level of success as Jackson’s original trilogy.
As a huge fan of Middle-earth, I’m thrilled to hear about what’s coming! Besides season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – which we’re all eagerly awaiting later this year – they’re actually developing two new films. One, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, fills in the story during that 17-year period between The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. The other, The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, takes place after The Return of the King, with some flashbacks thrown in. What’s really interesting is that these new movies potentially could add layers – or even change things – we thought we knew from Peter Jackson’s original films!
Farmer Maggot Needs A Redemption
Though Farmer Maggot appears only briefly in The Fellowship of the Ring film, he plays a significant role in the books. Interestingly, the books portray him as a heroic figure, a contrast to his depiction in the movies. In the film, he’s seen only once, directing the terrifying Ringwraiths (Nazgûl) towards Hobbiton when they inquire about “Baggins.” We also hear him scolding Merry and Pippin for trespassing on his land.
However, in the original books, Farmer Maggot is portrayed as a brave character who actually stands up to the terrifying Nazgûl and orders them to leave. While the stories The Hunt for Gollum and Shadow of the Past don’t need to change the famous scene from The Fellowship of the Ring, since they both take place around the same time, it would be great to see Farmer Maggot get a chance to show his heroic side, as he does in the books, with a more positive moment or two.
The Barrow-wights Must Be Introduced
Details about both The Hunt for Gollum and Shadow of the Past are mostly secret right now, but some information has been revealed. We know that Shadow of the Past will include flashbacks to events from The Fellowship of the Ring that weren’t shown in Peter Jackson’s film, including the story of the frightening Barrow-wights.
Interestingly, the chapter “Fog on the Barrow-downs” – this very story – is rumored to be adapted for the upcoming movie. In Peter Jackson’s films, the creepy creatures inhabiting the Barrow-downs weren’t actually shown, which was a letdown for some. This is because, in the book, Merry obtains a special sword called a Barrow-blade during this encounter – a weapon that ultimately helped defeat the Witch-king. Hopefully, we’ll see this important detail explored in the new adaptation.
The Heroes Should Be Less Inclined To Violence
One notable difference between the heroes in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films and their book counterparts is how quickly the movie characters resort to violence. For instance, in The Return of the King, Aragorn immediately beheads the Mouth of Sauron, reacting to his taunts about Frodo and the others.
This scene feels very different from how the book describes the Mouth of Sauron’s retreat, and it doesn’t quite fit with Aragorn’s personality. Tolkien didn’t generally focus on violence, even though his stories included battles, so this is a surprising choice. With characters like Gandalf and Aragorn set to reappear in The Hunt for Gollum, it’s possible this will be addressed and changed.
The Grey Company Must Be Referenced, If Not Depicted
In the Lord of the Rings books, a group of thirty Dúnedain warriors called the Grey Company, led by Halbarad and the sons of Elrond, helped Aragorn travel through the Paths of the Dead. The movies leave out this group, which is unfortunate because their presence would have strengthened the story involving the Army of the Dead.
It’s a shame the original films didn’t explore the Dúnedain more. They’re a crucial part of Aragorn’s background, but were only briefly shown. With the new Lord of the Rings projects covering a wider range of stories, hopefully we’ll get to see more about the Grey Company.
Frodo’s Characterization Can Better Match His Book Character
Elijah Wood was fantastic as Frodo and remains a fan favorite – and one of the few original actors returning for the new films – and there’s a good reason for that. However, his portrayal wasn’t a perfect match to the book. The novel describes Frodo as being in his 50s, while Wood was around 18 when he started filming, a difference partly explained by the 17-year time jump within The Fellowship of the Ring.
As a fan, I’ve always felt there was a difference between the Frodo we see in the movies, especially at the beginning, and the more mature, wiser Frodo described in the books. Now that Elijah Wood is older, I’m hoping the upcoming The Hunt for Gollum will give us a Frodo who feels more in line with the character from the novels. I don’t expect them to change his core personality, but a little more maturity would be great to see!
Tom Bombadil Should At Least Be Mentioned
A famously debated choice Peter Jackson made when creating the original Lord of the Rings films was omitting the character of Tom Bombadil, who is both powerful and enigmatic. Tom is especially important in the books during the hobbits’ encounter with the Barrow-wights, leading some to believe he might appear in the new movies.
This could create new problems, particularly since Tom wasn’t in the earlier films. However, he should still be mentioned, as the upcoming story, Shadow of the Past, will explore events from the past.
The Fellowship Of The Ring’s Time Jump Must Be Acknowledged
The upcoming film, The Hunt for Gollum, needs to clearly show the significant 17-year gap between the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. The story focuses on Gandalf and Aragorn’s search for Gollum during this time, and the movie should reflect the length of their journey. Otherwise, viewers who haven’t read the books might assume only a few months pass between Bilbo leaving and Gandalf returning to Frodo with news about the Ring.
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2026-04-27 03:11