Kate Winslet joins The Lord of the Rings to hunt Gollum

The British actress should be the first female role in Andy Serkins’ film, 25 years after refusing to play Éowyn in the original trilogy.

Kate Winslet will finally settle down in Middle Earth.

According to Deadlinethe British actress has officially joined the cast of the film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Details of her character remain secret for the moment, but she is expected to play the lead female role in the film. Knight Edge Media was the first to reveal that she was in negotiations to join the project.

The feature film will be directed by Andy Serkis, who will also reprise his cult role of Gollum. In production, we will find Peter Jackson, alongside his historical partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

According to Deadline, Serkis and Jackson spent much of last year convincing Kate Winslet to join the film. Filming is expected to take place from late May to October 2026 in New Zealand, which will involve the actress temporarily moving her family to the country. A territory that she knows well: that’s where she filmed Celestial Creatures in 1994… under the direction of Peter Jackson. His first major film role at the time, before Titanic.

This signing is also a way of making up for lost time: Kate Winslet was offered at the time the role of Éowyn in the original trilogy of Lord of the Ringsbut declined it. The character was ultimately played by Miranda Otto.

On the plot side, The Hunt for Gollum will follow Aragorn on a perilous mission: to capture Gollum before the creature reveals the location of the Ring to Sauron. The story, largely inspired by JRR Tolkien’s notes and appendices, will take place between the events of The Hobbit and those of The Fellowship of the Ring.

Produced by Warner Bros., the film is expected in theaters on December 17, 2027.