Serkis On Viggo’s Reaction To Aragorn Recasting

Actor Viggo Mortensen has seemingly given his blessing for Jamie Dornan to take over the role of Aragorn in the upcoming “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” prequel film.

Actor/filmmaker Andy Serkis appeared on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast this week and says ahead of the film’s shoot, there’s no animosity from Mortensen regarding the role’s recasting:

“I really, really don’t want to go into it right now because I do want to save that for, you know, further down the line. I’m gonna save all discussion about casting. Other than that, we are thrilled that Jamie’s doing it. I mean, we’re, you know, we’re absolutely thrilled. And, by the way, so is Viggo.”

Serkis is directing the film, along with reprising his role as Gollum whom he portrayed in the original trilogy. Also back are Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Lee Pace as Thranduil, while joining them will be Kate Winslet as Marigol and Leo Woodall as Halvard..

The film will portray events in the years before “The Fellowship of the Ring” as a race is on to find Gollum before the forces of Mordor do. Speaking about returning to the franchise, Serkis says:

“There is so much more to be dug out of this very complex character — the most, perhaps, complex character [J.R.R.] Tolkien wrote, because he kept revisiting it as well, right? You know, multiple times,” Serkis said, adding, “And so there was a desire for a series of return to Middle-earth movies, and this seemed to be a great way in. To be able to bring some of the cast back, but also this is a very much more intimate story and a deep dive and psychological investigation into a character who has become, you know, sort of absorbed into public consciousness in a rather large way. So, it sort of feels like there is a real relevance.”

“The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” is set to be released in cinemas on December 17th 2027.