As much as we like to see Wood back in the hobbit feet, the inclusion doesn’t make entirely clear sense because of the sentiment expressed in the famous Frodo line above. Before he and his fellow Hobbits were called upon to return the One Ring to Mordor, they had a relatively idyllic life. Throughout the trilogy though, we track the weight placed upon Frodo as he completes his mission, the loss of his innocence is treated as a part of his heroic sacrifice. That sacrifice only works if we understand Frodo’s life to be happy and dull before forming the Fellowship.
So what the heck is Frodo going to be doing in The Hunt for Gollum? Are we going to just watch him lazing about in some idyll? Will we spend time with him as he mows the lawn or tends to the shrubberies? We know that on the night Gandalf returns, he still enjoys a good pint down at the tavern with Sam and his lovelorn eyes for Rosie. Perhaps we’ll get to see some foundational moments that made Frodo into the character we know and love. Maybe we’ll see Frodo introducing young Samwise to potatoes, thus earning his undying loyalty?
It’s hard to believe that The Hunt for Gollum would waste screen time on something so boring. But one wants to trust that Serkis and Jackson have enough care and respect for the characters that they’ll be careful not to undermine the pathos of the previous films. So maybe we’ll see a more complicated Frodo, someone who longs to follow in his Uncle Bilbo’s adventurous footsteps, unaware of how much the journey will cost him.
Honestly, it’s hard to say for sure how the movie plans to handle the story, as we haven’t actually heard confirmation that Wood has joined the cast. We’ll just have to let Serkis and Jackson keep their secrets, and we’ll keep making ridiculous speculations.
The Hunt for Gollum is slated for a 2027 release.
