The next Lord of the Rings movie is officially looking for a new Aragorn. That was confirmed by director Andy Serkis, who is also returning as Gollum in The Hunt for Gollum.

The film is set to take place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, which gives it a very specific window in Middle-earth history and, apparently, a very specific errand for Aragorn. In this story, he is sent to track down Gollum before the creature can tell Sauron that Bilbo Baggins has the One Ring after their encounter in a cave beneath the Misty Mountains.

If that sounds like a mission with more than a little narrative overlap, that is because the broader outcome is already familiar. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gollum is eventually tortured in Mordor and blurts out “Baggins! Shire!” which leads the Ringwraiths to begin hunting Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. So yes, the film is likely heading toward the point where Aragorn reaches the Prancing Pony and helps set the wider story in motion. Middle-earth loves a prequel with paperwork.

Serkis says the role is being recast

With the film currently slated for a December 2027 release, production will need to get moving sooner rather than later. Serkis told ScreenRant that Aragorn will be played by someone new, but he would not say who that is.

“I don’t know what’s out there at the moment, but I know there’s a lot of speculation, but let’s just say we are recasting the role and we are on the way to finding someone,”

he said.

He also declined to discuss reports that Kate Winslet has joined the project.

“We’ve got to keep it all back. I mean, look, other than, I think it’s probably common knowledge, but our film takes place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it’s The Hunt for Gollum, and it is a physical hunt for the character, but also a psychological hunt for himself,”

Serkis added.

He said the movie will feel like a “proper Middle-earth film” and claimed the production has “reassembled” the team behind the original trilogy.

Leo Woodall rumors keep circling

Because fans are, naturally, fans, the question of who will replace Viggo Mortensen has already become its own cottage industry. One of the most persistent rumors has been that Leo Woodall will take over the role of Aragorn.

Serkis did not confirm or deny that himself, but an interview with Elijah Wood appeared to fuel the speculation. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz asked about Woodall’s involvement. Wood replied:

“Right, that is true. Those are tough boots, I can’t imagine… But that’s gonna be great.”

Wood did not directly say that Woodall is playing Aragorn, and he could simply have been referring to the role being recast at all. Still, the comment was enough to keep the rumor mill doing what it does best.

Online reaction has been predictably divided. Under a clip from the podcast, one viewer wrote:

“Viggo Mortensen became Aragorn so completely that nobody can picture the role without him. Leo Woodall has the impossible job of making us forget that. ‘Those are tough boots to fill’ is the understatement of the year.”

Another post was less charitable:

“Leo Woodall as young Aragorn I MEAN WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS? why this obsessive thing of casting young and non experienced people to MAJOR BIG ROLES?”

A third commenter took a more measured line, but still sounded skeptical about anyone following Mortensen:

“I think Leo Woodall is a fine young actor, I’ve seen him in quite a few things BUT I really loved Viggo’s Aragorn and I’d be surprised if I like the new Aragorn anywhere near as much.”

For now, the studio is keeping the casting card close to its chest. But the film is on the calendar, the role is being recast, and the speculation around Aragorn is clearly not going away anytime soon.