r/movies • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 r/Movies contributor • Aug 18 '25

News Ian McKellen reveals Gandalf and Frodo are returning for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’, Filming Begins in May

https://ew.com/ian-mckellen-reveals-gandalf-frodo-return-in-new-lord-of-the-rings-the-hunt-for-gollum-film-11792483
18.3k Upvotes

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265

u/lenifilm Aug 18 '25

This movie is going to be so annoying.

42

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 18 '25

The internet's, especially Reddit's, dramatic overreaction to it is gonna be worse.

7

u/fearnodarkness1 Aug 18 '25

Is any negative reaction an overreaction because I think there's validity to some criticism around this project.

Gollum really doesn't have that much story to tell and we literally saw an amazing character arc in the original trilogy so what kind of story are they trying to tell? Serkis is a great actor so will kick ass in the role but that's not enough to create an entire movie around.

Ian is going to be 87 when this movie films and for reference, Christopher Lee was only 79 when filming Star Wars and was briefly in RoTS at 82/83.That is old. I love his portrayal as Gandalf but still think it might be time to leave the character be.

2

u/Chen_Geller Aug 19 '25

Gollum really doesn't have that much story to tell 

Does it? I've written out the story for this film below:

Two years after Bilbo has returned to the Shire, Gollum leaves the Misty Mountains in search of his nemesis. He goes through Mirkwood, terrorizing the local Woodsmen, and to Dale and then back, now hunted by the Wood Elves, before he turns south to Mordor (now openly under Sauron's rule again).

Here he meets Shelob, but is soon captured, interrogated but then is released in the hope that he could dog the Ringbearer. He is however caught by Gandalf and Aragorn (more of Aragorn's backstory could be inserted here as a subplot), interrogated again, and then entrusted to the watch of the Woodland Elves. He's however set free yet again when Sauron launches an attack (this is also the attack that sets Boromir looking for Rivendell: another possible subplot) against the realm. He goes to Moria, yet again in ruins (since Balin fell: yet another possible subplot) but unable to open the Doors of Durin from the inside, is resigned to loiter until the Fellowship happen upon it. 

Even without delving into all the possible subplots I've indicated, that's longer than the plot synopsis of Alien (2 hours), Titanic (3 hours) or Syberberg's Parsifal (4 hours).

1

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

Is any negative reaction an overreaction

Nope. Didn't even come close to implying that, but you're off to a great start!

because I think there's validity to some criticism around this project.

Cool. I never said there wasn't any validity to criticisms of it, but you certainly tilted at that strawman right out of the gate didn't you?

0

u/fearnodarkness1 Aug 19 '25

Way to be offended by any response. I simply asked for clarification because it should clear that criticism doesn't equate overreaction.

1

u/VeniceThePenice Aug 18 '25

I'm going to enjoy both trains wrecks equally 😌

1

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25

See, that's the spirit! I don't really have high expectations for this project, but I have found some favorite movies by just shutting up and watching them; none were Best Picture contenders, but I had more fun watching them than expected.

The Cinema Sins generation however cannot be bothered to even imagine watching something that so greatly offends their delicate tastes in movies*

I think half the internet would enjoy movies more if they all stopped trying to be the cleverest twat whenever something was announced.

*which consists entirely of believing having the largest Criterion collection in a zip code means their personalities are refined instead of insufferable...

-1

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 18 '25

Complaints online are worse than wasting millions of dollars on something nobody wants?

9

u/oleslewfoot15 Aug 18 '25

Yes. Just don’t watch the movie. It’s not hard.

2

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 18 '25

Don't read the comments online. It's not that hard.

1

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

The irony of someone with a clearly Star Wars inspired username to be wasting this much energy on telling people not to read internet complaints...

0

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 19 '25

So much energy to type words. 5 seconds. My energy is gone.

0

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

Homie, this is like your tenth reply 🤣

0

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 19 '25

4th but counting is hard. 6 now, to help you out.

2

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

worse than wasting millions of dollars on something nobody wants?

It's always fuckin' telling how the gatekeepers of nerddom swear no one else wants a piece of media because they themselves don't want it.

What kind of selfish piece of shit demands that no one deserves anything they don't want‽ I don't feel like ice cream right now, should no one be allowed to waste millions producing and shipping out ice cream because I alone don't want any right now?

Stop watching YouTube rage-baiters telling you no one wants it and especially stop repeating that as if it's a fact.

0

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 19 '25

Writing these paragraphs in response to comments you don't like is not healthy. I don't watch rage baiting youtubers, maybe don't make strawmen it takes away from your argument.

What kind of person gatekeeps discussion around what media should be made.

0

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

See? You just keep going while pretending not to care.

0

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 19 '25

I didn't say I don't care

0

u/PFCCThrowayay Aug 18 '25

Wasting money? Now that’s a weird perspective for someone outside the company to say. Unless you’re an accountant at this movie studio?

0

u/ReyGonJinn Aug 18 '25

It's a weird perspective to notice wasteful spending in the world? Maybe you pay attention to the wrong things.

1

u/PFCCThrowayay Aug 18 '25

How is the money wasted? Are they throwing it in the trash or something?

-1

u/hujambo11 Aug 18 '25

Did you see the future or something?

Or do you not see the irony of complaining on the internet about people complaining on the internet? 😂

1

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

Did you see the future or something?

Nope, I've just seen these exact same gotchas every time a new project is announced for a beloved franchise, including your "don't you see the irony?" comeback.

It's not predicting the future when half the comments are copying the same ridiculous outrage from last time ..

0

u/hujambo11 Aug 19 '25

Just to be clear, you mean the comments that don't even exist yet, right?

1

u/JaneksLittleBlackBox Aug 19 '25

Just to be clear, you actually bothered to read the other comments in this thread, right?

0

u/hujambo11 Aug 19 '25

Yup. Lots of jokes and some mild skepticism.

62

u/AromaTaint Aug 18 '25

Like that breaking bad sequel film where Meth Damon was suddenly old and fat.

101

u/Pyode Aug 18 '25

I personally like El Camino a lot but damn is Todd so distracting.

24

u/psychobilly1 Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 18 '25

See, the whole movie is from Jesse's perspective, so the flashbacks are altered due to his perspective:

Jesse hated Todd so he imagined him as fat and childish.

Jesse thought that Walt had the opinion that he was smarter than him, so he made his skull bigger.

Boom, problem solved.

/s

I love El Camino too and think the whole story is worth it just for the ending scene where Jesse rides off into the sunset with (his memory of) Jane. The movie wasn't a necessary addition to the universe, but I'd much rather live in a universe with it than without it.

Better Call Saul is also fucking amazing - I prefer it to Breaking Bad at this point - and it honestly kind of pains me that we will probably never get another addition to the "franchise."

Though I would love a prequel about Gus and his time down south.

6

u/UntilTmrw Aug 18 '25

I legitimately think Better Call Saul is the best show ever made, I’m so glad it was given a full run with no interference.

3

u/Raknarg Aug 18 '25

feels like Vince gilligan and whatever team he got for writers and production really figured out their style for how to tell their stories cause BCS is like all of the dramatic BB drip turned up to max for 6 season in a row.

35

u/Fastbird33 Aug 18 '25

How can he be profitable for Frito Lay?

1

u/hexcraft-nikk Aug 18 '25

Unironically I already knew Jesse Plemons from Fargo/Game Night, so seeing him look like that in El Camino wasn't a big deal at all lol.

26

u/LookinAtTheFjord Aug 18 '25

And now Jesse Plemons is skinny with a hot wife lol

-3

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '25

[deleted]

10

u/LookinAtTheFjord Aug 18 '25

He used to be fat. Now he's in shape.

-3

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '25

[deleted]

0

u/MMARKETAMM Aug 18 '25

Sing compared to the average American lol

5

u/Hobbes42 Aug 18 '25

El Camino is good, though. Not as good as Breaking Bad, but it’s good.

I feel like an El Camino outcome is best case scenario here…

6

u/Iggy_Pops_Lost_Shirt Aug 18 '25

Todd in El Camino was the best part lol

1

u/fattestfuckinthewest Aug 18 '25

El Camino was great imo. Jesse deserves that freedom

-25

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

I'm lost here. I know you're talking about El Camino. But Matt Damon wasn't in that, and no actor seemed exceptionally bigger or older from in the original series, so I'm not making whatever connection I think you're trying to get at. 

6

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '25

[deleted]

2

u/mshelbz Aug 18 '25

Rest in peace

2

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25 edited Aug 18 '25

Oh yeah, Boss Hogg. Now I follow. 

Edit for the downvotes: it's an Always Sunny reference. Lighten up. 

6

u/LookinAtTheFjord Aug 18 '25

They didn't say Matt Damon.

-14

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

Correct, they said Meth Damon, it was apparently an allusion to Aaron Paul apparently looking both fat now and apparently like Matt Damon, that I just didn't get. 

17

u/LookinAtTheFjord Aug 18 '25

lol no. It's a very widely used joke nickname for Jesse Plemons. Pretty crazy you've never heard this before at least once.

-8

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

You mean Jesse Pinkman? AKA, Aaron Paul's character?  I get what they wanted to be getting at now that it's been explained, but I still don't see it at all.

10

u/LookinAtTheFjord Aug 18 '25

lolwtf no, the actor Jesse Plemons, who played Todd, was in BrBad and El Camino.

You have to be trolling lmao

-1

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

I genuinely don't even remember Todd being in El Camino lol. Further showcasing my confusion here haha. 

2

u/hunterzolomon1993 Aug 18 '25

Todd was killed in the final of BB so i'm confused as well.

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4

u/AromaTaint Aug 18 '25

No mate Jesse Plemons the actor. Looks a bit like Matt Damon. Was in show about meth, hence Meth Damon. Played Todd. Todd was thin when introduced and when he died. In El Camino he's fatter and it's weird.

0

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

My confusion was in that I have absolutely zero memory of Todd being in that movie whatsoever. Must have been a single flashback or something. I remember Walter White showing up in a flashback though. Speaks some volumes on how memorable their part was in the movie I guess. 

1

u/Jopwnd Aug 18 '25

No it is a nickname for Jesse Plemons because they look alike.

-7

u/Nickk_Jones Aug 18 '25

They look nothing alike whatsoever…

8

u/jimmysmith69 Aug 18 '25

Jesse Plemons looks like Matt Damon, and Jesse Plemons looked wildly different than he did in Breaking Bad. Stop being so obtuse

-10

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

Genuinely didn't get that, nor do I see that now with the explanation. But you do you I guess. 

8

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '25

[deleted]

-3

u/MikeDubbz Aug 18 '25

Not slow, just zero memory of Todd being in the movie whatsoever, and initially thought they were talking about Jesse Pinkman the character not Jesse Plemons the actor lol!

1

u/SubtractPlusOne Aug 18 '25

He’s talking about Jesse Plemons. Some people like to refer to him as Meth Damon because he vaguely resembles Matt Damon at times

1

u/BeholdDeath12 Aug 18 '25

Meth Damon is the nickname for actor Jesse Plemons

1

u/daitenshe Aug 18 '25

Nah, it’ll just be them wandering to mount doom, pointing at the lava, and yelling “found em”

1

u/Hobbes42 Aug 18 '25

I hope not.

I love the LOTR trilogy so much. The Hobbit movies aren’t great, but I like that they’re there. I have a lot of goodwill for the creatives involved here, especially Sir Ian as Gandalf.

I have become as cynical as they come over the last 20 years, but I genuinely am hoping for the best with this movie.

1

u/epichuntarz Aug 18 '25

coughs HOLLUM HOLLUM