Washington DC [US], May 26 (ANI): Actor Leo Woodall has expressed excitement over joining the cast of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum', calling it a 'boyhood dream' to become part of the iconic fantasy franchise, according to People.

Woodall, who was announced as part of the film's cast at CinemaCon in April alongside Jamie Dornan and Kate Winslet, spoke about the project during the New York premiere of 'Tuner', where he stars opposite Dustin Hoffman.

'It means everything. It's a boyhood dream for me,' Woodall said. 'I watched it as a kid and I've seen it a million times, so to be part of it now is incredible,' according to People.

While the 29-year-old actor remained tight-lipped about plot details, his role as Halvard has already been confirmed. The character is reportedly an original creation for the film and does not appear in J. R. R. Tolkien's original book series.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a theatrical release in 2027 and will feature returning franchise stars Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Andy Serkis reprising his role as Gollum/Smeagol.

The film will also see Jamie Dornan take over the role of Strider, also known as Aragorn, previously played by Viggo Mortensen in the original trilogy. Kate Winslet is set to portray a character named Marigold, according to People.

The project was first announced in May 2024, with Serkis attached as director and original trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson serving as producer. In 2025, Serkis confirmed that filming would begin in New Zealand in 2026, the same location where the original trilogy was shot, according to People.

Speaking in April 2026, Serkis described the upcoming film as taking place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

'It will be a physical hunt for Gollum, but also a psychological hunt for himself,' Serkis said.

Meanwhile, another Lord of the Rings project is also in development. Former late-night host Stephen Colbert revealed in March 2026 that he and his son Peter Colbert are writing a separate film inspired by chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring that were not adapted into the original movie, according to People.

'It's basically the chapter 'Three Is Company' through 'Fog on the Barrow-Downs,' Colbert said while discussing the idea. 'Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books, while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?'

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to release in theatres on December 17, 2027. (ANI)