The Lord of the Rings: Jamie Dornan will not try to do better than Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn

The Fifty Shades of Gray actor will reprise the role of the famous Ranger in The Hunt for Gollum, the new film directed by Andy Serkis.

Succeeding Viggo Mortensen is no easy task.

Jamie Dornan is perfectly aware of this: the Irish actor will play a younger version of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollumthe new film in the saga directed by Andy Serkis. And he already knows that he will not be able to forget the one who brought the character to life in Peter Jackson’s trilogy.

Questioned by the Italian media The OfficialJamie Dornan acknowledges the pressure that comes with such a role, while maintaining that he has no intention of trying to outdo his predecessor:

“There is pressure when you try to follow in someone’s footsteps. I’ve been given an absolutely cult role, and I’m going to do my best. But, for me, Aragorn will always be Viggo. His performance is one of my all-time favorites, and I feel honored to be able to try to recapture at least some of the energy he originally brought to the character. I have absolutely no intention of doing better than him.“

A humble speech for those who will have to appropriate one of the most emblematic heroes of fantasy in cinema.

Because The Hunt for Gollum will not be a simple remake: this independent film will tell a new story in Tolkien’s universe, exploring a period before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring.

The story will take place between the events of Hobbit and those of Lord of the Rings. The film will notably follow Aragorn and Gandalf in their hunt for Gollum, while Sauron also seeks to find the creature to get his hands on the One Ring.

The screenplay is by Arty Papageorgiou, Phoebe Gittins, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be released in cinemas in France on December 15, 2027.