Anya Taylor-Joy Joins Cast of Upcoming Lord of the Rings Film as Original Character

Anya Taylor-Joy is set to join the cast of the upcoming The Lord of the Rings film, as announced on Monday.

She will portray Seren, an original character created for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Seren is an elf described as “a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil.” Lee Pace, who played Thranduil in The Hobbit trilogy, will reprise his role in this new installment.

Andy Serkis, known for his iconic portrayal of Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, will direct the film. The story appears to draw inspiration from a brief moment in The Fellowship of the Ring, where Aragorn recounts his quest to find Gollum and his seven-week journey to deliver the ring-obsessed hobbit to Thranduil.

Since Seren is a new character, her exact role in the narrative remains uncertain. She may accompany Aragorn on his mission to locate Gollum, and given her “lethal” description, fans can hope for some exciting action sequences.

Unlike Pace, Viggo Mortensen, who previously portrayed Aragorn, will not return to the role. Instead, Jamie Dornan will take on the mantle of Aragorn. Recently, it was confirmed that Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood will reprise their roles as Gandalf and Frodo Baggins, respectively. Kate Winslet has also been announced to star as Marigol, while former Legolas actor Orlando Bloom’s involvement has yet to be confirmed.

Taylor-Joy has rapidly risen to prominence in Hollywood, showcasing her talent in horror and thriller films like The Witch, Split, and The Menu, as well as taking on superhero roles in New Mutants. Recently, she voiced Princess Peach in both Mario movies and starred as Furiosa in the latest Mad Max film.

Serkis has set a high bar for motion capture performances with his portrayal of Gollum, and he has since applied his expertise in CGI to direct projects like Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

The Hunt for Gollum is expected to explore the timeline between Bilbo’s 111th birthday and Gandalf’s return to the Shire, a segment from the early chapters of Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring that was omitted from the 2001 film. Gandalf tasked Aragorn with tracking down Gollum to uncover the origins of Bilbo’s ring and determine if it was indeed the One Ring sought by Sauron.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to hit theaters on December 17, 2027.