Sir Ian McKellen told attendees at the For the Love of Fantasy convention in London that both Gandalf and Frodo Baggins will appear in “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” the next live-action feature set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. McKellen, 86, indicated that the two iconic characters are written into the script, though casting for Frodo—last portrayed by Elijah Wood—has not been formally announced. The film will be directed by Andy Serkis, who is also expected to reprise his role as Gollum after previously serving as second-unit director on Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” trilogy. Jackson returns as producer alongside longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who are co-writing the screenplay. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in New Zealand in May 2026, with Warner Bros. setting a worldwide theatrical release for 17 December 2027. “The Hunt for Gollum” will be the first live-action Middle-earth film since 2014’s “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”