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Orlando Bloom has addressed the potential return of his fan-favorite character Legolas in the upcoming Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, sharing his vision for how the character could reappear.
Scheduled for release on December 17, 2027, the film will feature Andy Serkis both directing and reprising his legendary role as Gollum, exploring the creature's activities between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies.
During promotional interviews for his new film Deep Cover, the 48-year-old actor expressed enthusiasm about Legolas's potential comeback. Bloom suggested that to maintain continuity with the original trilogy, filmmakers would need to utilize AI-powered de-aging technology.
"Maintaining Legolas's appearance from the original trilogy would definitely require AI enhancement," Bloom explained. "I'd want to see him retain that agile, graceful warrior essence. If invited, I'd absolutely say yes - returning to New Zealand for filming would be incredible. There's no better place to be right now."
Bloom first portrayed the elven archer at age 24 in 2001's The Fellowship of the Ring. With principal photography approaching on this prequel story, fans wonder if Legolas's appearance would fit the timeline. Several original cast members have signaled willingness to return, including Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), both noting their participation would depend on practical considerations.
Recently, Serkis provided updates about the film's tone and production schedule while confirming this marks the first of two new Middle-earth adventures being developed by Peter Jackson's creative team under Warner Bros.
The Middle-earth universe continues expanding across multiple platforms, with Amazon's The Rings of Power preparing its third season and the animated feature The War of the Rohirrim having recently debuted.
