Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood doesn’t think the new Gollum movies are a “cash grab”

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood doesn't think the new Gollum movies are a "cash grab"

As a lifelong cinephile who has witnessed the magic of Middle-earth unfold on the silver screen through Peter Jackson’s masterful hands, I must admit that the prospect of a new era of Middle-earth movies is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. The success of the original trilogy and its subsequent prequel series was nothing short of phenomenal, but the weight of expectation that comes with such a beloved franchise can be daunting.


Since the remarkable success of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, it was hardly surprising that Hollywood wouldn’t let this franchise fade away. Just like any other popular franchise today, more Middle-earth movies are in development, beginning with The Hunt for Gollum, directed by the legendary voice actor of Gollum, Andy Serkis, and produced by Peter Jackson himself.

Before the commencement of the upcoming Middle-earth film series, original cast member Elijah Wood (known as Frodo) expressed his thoughts on the upcoming projects. “I am thrilled,” Wood shared with Inverse. “Being a fan of the creative team, I’m eager because the same creative team behind The Lord of the Rings is involved.

Wood finds it appealing to reunite his old team for the purpose of making a film about Gollum. Since nobody else could do justice to such a movie, it’s the person who deeply understands Gollum that would be ideal. As Wood put it, “Revisiting that character, allowing Andy to direct… There’s no one more suitable than the person who truly developed that character and knows them inside out to guide this specific film.” It seems like reuniting for a special project in an extraordinary way.

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood doesn't think the new Gollum movies are a "cash grab"

As a follower, I can’t help but feel a touch of trepidation when contemplating the growth of a franchise as grand as “The Lord of the Rings.” Just take a look at Amazon Prime Video’s “The Rings of Power,” which faced criticism even before its premiere yet has successfully garnered a significant number of fans. Wood understands the apprehension, but he’s optimistic that the new movies are in capable hands with good intentions at heart.

When it comes to, and I think we’re all a little bit sensitive to this, this world of trying to make more films within a certain kind of franchise, there can be a degree of cynicism associated with it. There can be this sort of, ‘Oh, f***, are they going to mess the thing up that I love? Is it just this kind of cash grab to exploit a specific thing?’

Although Wood hasn’t disclosed if he’s open to revisiting Middle-earth just yet, he’s certainly eager to watch more films in the series. ” frankly, there are numerous tales they could spin, so I can’t wait to see what unfolds,” he added.

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2024-11-08 23:41

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