Jamie Dornan says he cried when he learned he had won the role of Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” and that filming has wrapped. “I cried. I actually cried,” Dornan told Entertainment Tonight in a clip posted Tuesday. He called the part a dream and an honor, and said he finished shooting in New Zealand about three weeks ago. He added that he hopes audiences welcome the film into a world many people care deeply about.
The Northern Irish actor takes over a role Viggo Mortensen defined in Peter Jackson’s trilogy. In a separate interview last month with L’Officiel, Dornan acknowledged the pressure of following Mortensen and said Aragorn will always be Viggo to him. Mortensen declined Warner Bros.’ offer to return when the studio approached him in April, according to The A.V. Club. Director Andy Serkis said on a podcast that Mortensen supports Dornan’s casting, according to a fan-site report I could not verify against the podcast.
The film is set between “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogies, and Dornan plays a younger Aragorn, then known as Strider, the Ranger of the North. Warner Bros. has not released an official synopsis. The outline comes from Tolkien’s appendices, in which Gandalf asks Aragorn to find Gollum before Sauron’s servants can learn where the One Ring went.
Production began in July. Serkis directs and again plays Gollum through motion capture. Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo and Lee Pace as Thranduil. Newcomers include Leo Woodall, Kate Winslet and Anya Taylor-Joy. The studio revealed the full cast at CinemaCon in April. “The Hunt for Gollum” opens in theaters Dec. 17, 2027.
Reaction to the project has mixed anticipation with caution. The franchise has a devoted audience that scrutinizes every casting choice, and some commentators have treated Mortensen’s absence as the central challenge. Dornan’s remarks suggest he understands the stakes. He has framed his task as honoring the character, not replacing the actor who first played him. Warner Bros. has not commented on the interview. Dornan, known for “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “The Tourist,” called the shoot an incredible experience.
