Oscar-winning actress, Kate Winslet is set to journey to Middle Earth as she joins the cast of the upcoming film ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’, directed by Andy Serkis.Winslet will reportedly play the film’s female lead, in a cast that includes returning franchise stars Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Serkis himself reprising his role as Gollum. The trio first portrayed their characters in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ and went on to make several appearances throughout the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and the ‘Hobbit’ film franchises.The upcoming instalment will reportedly centre on Aragorn’s mission to capture Gollum before the creature can reveal the location of the One Ring to the dark lord Sauron. The story is set in the period between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’, drawing in part from notes and appendices written by author J. R. R. Tolkien.Although details about her character have not yet been disclosed, reports on Deadline suggest that Serkis and producer Peter Jackson spent much of the past year encouraging the actor to join the project. Filming is expected to begin in New Zealand this May through October. Winslet had previously hinted about her association with the project, when she revealed to the news agency that she would be spending several months outside the United Kingdom this year. At the time, however, she did not reveal the reason for her absence. The report now confirms that the actress’s involvement in the fantasy saga will require her to relocate for several months during production.This is a new addition to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ franchise. The film begins production following the release of ‘Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, a web series set years before the film series. Serkis has reportedly begun pre-production on the film and is set to begin work on the film by May. ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ is scheduled for a Christmas 2027 release.
