John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) “might indeed” return to Lord of the Rings

by

As a die-hard fan of both John Rhys-Davies and his iconic character, Gimli, I can’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and anticipation when considering his potential return to Middle Earth. While the thought of him spending hours in makeup chairs again might make me wince, just as Gimli did when he first saw his reflection after emerging from Moria, the prospect of seeing this beloved dwarf warrior once more is too enticing to ignore.

John Rhys-Davies’ portrayal of Gimli, the dwarf warrior in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films, is one of the most unforgettable roles from the original trilogy. Fans adore Gimli to this day, but Rhys-Davies has a complex relationship with the character. For example, he doesn’t pine for the long hours—nearly three years of his life—he spent in a make-up chair or the discomfort of wearing heavy armor and scaling mountains.

After working on three films proved exhausting, Rhys-Davies decided to step away from his role for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit prequel trilogy. With the passage of time, and given that Andy Serkis is currently involved in a new project, The Hunt for Gollum, Rhys-Davies was recently asked about possibly reprising his role after more than 20 years. Interestingly, he seems to be more open to the idea of a comeback these days.

He shared that while he usually prefers not to wear his prosthetic, due to deep respect for Andy whom he cherishes and appreciates for their growth, if invited, he might consider donning it once more – along with makeup – and exposing his skin again. Perhaps with the aid of CGI,” he said to Collider.

Indeed, significant strides have been made in Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) tech since Rhys-Davies’ portrayal of Gimli. This progress gives the actor optimism, as it might help alleviate some of the stress involved in performance.

“Before when they asked me to do ‘The Hobbit’, for instance, I said no. No, not at all. Times have moved on and technology has moved on, if I don’t have to spend eight hours a day for three years of my life in a make-up chair, I might indeed do it. The other thing is physically I am no longer capable of putting eighty pounds of extra armor and stuff on and climbing up mountains.”

It’s a delightful prospect that stirs excitement within us all: the possibility of witnessing John Rhys-Davies reappear on our screens as Gimli once more! Andy Serkis is orchestrating a reunion, with The Hunt for Gollum, and Peter Jackson will be producing. The project is in its infancy at the moment, but it’s set to debut in 2026.

Read More

2024-11-14 17:41