The new "Lord of the Rings" trilogy may begin with the movie "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum"

The new "Lord of the Rings" trilogy may begin with the film "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum"

Jeff Snyder — an industry insider — told The Hot Mic that Warner Bros. Pictures could be plotting a new Lord of the Rings film trilogy. His tip: the first entry might be The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Snyder was careful to say the picture is incomplete; he’s heard about a trilogy but lacks the blueprint. He suggested Hunt for Gollum as the likely opener, but framed it as a possibility rather than a confirmed lineup (i.e., not final).

To date, Warner Bros. has officially announced only one new Middle-earth film. That leaves open two scenarios: the studio announces follow-ups now, or it waits to see how the initial release performs — the usual gamble of studios and audience reaction.

Andy Serkis is attached to direct and reportedly will play Gollum again — actor-turned-director, someone who already knows the role from the inside. Ian McKellen is expected to return as Gandalf; Elijah Wood has dropped hints about possibly coming back as Frodo, though his involvement hasn’t been confirmed.

Philippa Boyens, one of the screenwriters, has said The Hunt for Gollum is meant to be a single film, not a two-part story. The studio, however, appears open to expanding the universe with other projects down the line.