Orlando Bloom on Legolas' Return in 'The Hunt for Gollum' with AI De-Aging

Orlando Bloom has shared insights on potentially reprising his role as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, outlining how the character could be portrayed.

Slated for release on December 17, 2027, The Hunt for Gollum will feature Andy Serkis returning as both director and star, reprising his role as Gollum. The film will explore Gollum’s activities between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Could other familiar faces from The Lord of the Rings join the project? In a recent MovieWeb interview promoting his new film Deep Cover, 48-year-old Bloom discussed the prospect of Legolas’ return. He expressed enthusiasm for the role but noted that Legolas would need to appear as he did in the original trilogy, requiring AI-driven de-aging technology.

“I’d want Legolas to look as youthful as he did back then,” Bloom explained. “That would mean using AI for de-aging. I envision him as agile, spirited, and warrior-like, so AI would be essential.”

“If they offered me the chance, I’d jump at it,” he added. “Returning to New Zealand for the shoot would be incredible. Honestly, there’s no better place to be right now than New Zealand.”

Bloom first portrayed Legolas in 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring at age 24. Now, 24 years later, is a Legolas comeback feasible? The Hunt for Gollum is set to feature several returning characters, including Gandalf. Sir Ian McKellen, 86, who played Gandalf, has expressed openness to returning as the wizard, provided his health allows. Viggo Mortensen, who portrayed Aragorn, has also indicated he’d consider reprising his role.

The Lord of the Rings Films in Chronological Order

This week, Serkis shared insights on the tone of The Hunt for Gollum and provided an update on the start of filming. Warner Bros. has confirmed that The Hunt for Gollum is the first of two new Lord of the Rings films from Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, as part of their plan to expand the franchise.

Amazon has kept the Lord of the Rings legacy alive with its Prime Video series The Rings of Power, with Season 3 currently in development. Additionally, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an animated film, was released in December.