Leo Woodall has expressed excitement over joining the expanding Lord of the Rings universe, saying the role fulfills a childhood dream. The actor, who recently spoke to People about his casting, said that being part of the franchise “means everything” to him and that he grew up watching the films repeatedly. While he declined to reveal any plot details, his involvement in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is already generating attention ahead of the film’s theatrical release on December 17, 2027.
Warner Bros. announced Woodall’s casting at CinemaCon in April, alongside Jamie Dornan. Woodall will portray Halvard, a new Dúnedain character created for the film, while Dornan will play Strider, the alias of Aragorn, a role previously brought to the screen by Viggo Mortensen in the original trilogy. Kate Winslet has also joined the cast as Marigol.
The film will feature several returning figures from the franchise. Andy Serkis is set to reprise his iconic role as Gollum and also direct the movie. Elijah Wood will return as Frodo, Ian McKellen is back as Gandalf, and Lee Pace will again play Thranduil. The story centers on Aragorn’s dangerous mission to capture Gollum before he can reveal the location of the One Ring to Sauron. Set between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, the plot draws heavily from Tolkien’s notes and expands on events only briefly referenced in the original books.
The project reunites key members of the Oscar-winning creative team behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who are producing the new films for Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. Walsh and Boyens are co-writing the screenplay with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, while Zane Weiner is also producing.
Woodall, who rose to prominence with The White Lotus Season 2 and Netflix’s One Day, has continued building his profile with roles in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and Nuremberg, where he starred alongside Rami Malek, Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon. His addition to The Hunt for Gollum marks another major step in a fast-rising career, placing him inside one of Hollywood’s most enduring fantasy franchises.
