The Shire Comes Back to Life: First Set Photos from The Hunt for Gollum Confirm the Return of the Iconic Location

The first set photos from the fantasy blockbuster The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum have surfaced online, confirming that the production crew has returned to the iconic Shire set. Filming officially began in New Zealand in the summer of 2026. The team behind the Hobbiton Movie Set confirmed in an official statement that the location was temporarily closed to tourists specifically so the Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema crew could work there. For fans of the Middle-earth franchise, this is a key signal: the filmmakers are betting on practical shoots and authentic locations rather than replacing the entire environment with computer graphics.

The published photos show the silhouette of a hobbit by the traditional round door of one of the Shire dwellings. It is not yet possible to say directly from the photo that the figure is Frodo as played by Elijah Wood — the character’s face is hidden by the angle. Still, Wood’s return to the role of the Ring-bearer has already been officially confirmed in an interview with Syfy Wire.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

First official set images from The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

We are officially back in the Shire as Andy Serkis directs with fresh faced Hobbits and what appears to be Frodo entering into Bag End pic.twitter.com/jPqk7OzMdc

— The Mellon Heads – LOTR Podcast (@mellon_heads) September 23, 2026

Peter Jackson’s Creative Team and the Story Gaps

Andy Serkis is directing the project and will also play Sméagol again using motion-capture technology. The project has reunited the original trio of Oscar-winning filmmakers: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens serve as executive producers, and Walsh and Boyens also helped polish the script, according to Warner Bros. Discovery’s official announcement.

The film’s story will fill the long gap between the events of The Hobbit trilogy and the start of the hobbits’ journey in The Fellowship of the Ring. It will focus on Gandalf’s and the Rangers’ attempts to find Gollum before Sauron’s servants learn from him the secret of the One Ring’s whereabouts.

New Faces in Middle-earth and the Return of Classic Characters

The project brings together both veterans of the adaptations and big names from contemporary cinema:

• Ian McKellen returns as the wizard Gandalf the Grey;
• Lee Pace will again play the Elven king Thranduil;
• the role of the young Aragorn (Strider) has gone to Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey, Belfast);
• Kate Winslet, Anya Taylor-Joy and Leo Woodall have also joined the cast.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to premiere worldwide on December 17, 2027, Rotten Tomatoes notes.