Jamie Dornan Breaks Silence on Taking Over as Aragorn in New Gollum Film

Jamie Dornan is opening up about the daunting task of playing Aragorn in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, per /Film. The role was famously held by Viggo Mortensen in Peter Jackson's original trilogy.

In an interview with L'Officiel, Dornan acknowledged the pressure. "There's pressure when you're trying to follow in those footsteps," he said. He called Mortensen's performance an all-time favorite and stated he feels honored to try to recapture some of that energy, not outdo it.

The film will be directed by Andy Serkis, who also plays Gollum, with Jackson serving as a writer and producer. According to Serkis, Mortensen has given his blessing to Dornan taking over the part.

While original cast members like Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood are returning, the creative team opted for a younger actor instead of de-aging Mortensen. Co-star Leo Woodall, who plays a character named Halvard, has already endorsed the recasting, saying, "my Aragorn is Jamie Dornan."

The story is a new one that unfolds concurrently with the beginning of the original saga, focusing on the pursuit of Gollum. Jackson has reportedly compared the film's tone to DC's Joker. The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled for release on December 17, 2027.