New Lord Of The Rings Movie's Legolas Replacement Is So Good, It's Even Better Than Orlando Bloom Returning

Sep 09, 2026 - 07:10

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New Lord Of The Rings Movie's Legolas Replacement Is So Good, It's Even Better Than Orlando Bloom Returning

Published Sep 8, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.

With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.

Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is bringing audiences back to Middle-earth next year, finally telling an untold chapter never before seen on-screen. Directed by and starring Andy Serkis as the titular Gollum, the new Lord of the Rings movie is confirmed to feature some familiar faces reprising their roles from the original films. However, new characters have been announced for the upcoming movie as well.

The Hunt for Gollum is set to take place during the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, specifically the 17 years between Bilbo Baggins leaving the Shire and Frodo himself leaving the Shire with Samwise Gamgee and the One Ring. Without a doubt, classic characters have already been confirmed, like Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey and Elijah Wood returning to play Frodo.

However, a handful of new actors will be making their Lord of the Rings franchise debuts in The Hunt for Gollum as well, including one actress who may very well serve as the movie's Legolas replacement.

Why Isn't Legolas In The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum?

As far as we know, Orlando Bloom's Legolas has not been officially confirmed to appear in the new Hunt for Gollum movie. Although he did appear in two of The Hobbit movies with The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies, there's been no word on whether Bloom will be returning for this brand-new Lord of the Rings movie releasing late next year.

However, this could very well change. After all, Lee Pace is set to return as Thranduil, the Elven King of Mirkwood and Legolas' father. This is because after Gandalf and Aragorn track down Gollum for information on the One Ring, they deliver him to the Elves of Mirkwood who keep Gollum in their custody until a horde of orcs attack, allowing Gollum to escape and start pursuing his Precious, eventually pursuing the Fellowship of the Ring on their travels.

Although Legolas doesn't need to be involved in every event occurring in Mirkwood during this period, it's certainly possible that he could be featured alongside his father all the same. There's at least an organic reason for him to make an appearance. That said, we still don't know if Orlando Bloom will be featured in the new Lord of the Rings movie, and it does seem as though a brand-new elf warrior might take the stage instead.

Anya Taylor-Joy's Elf Sounds Like LOTR: The Hunt For Gollum's Version Of Legolas

One of the few names confirmed to be part of The Hunt for Gollum's cast, Anya Taylor-Joy has reportedly been cast as Seren, a new Elf warrior. While details are slim, we do know that she'll apparently be a trusted agent of King Thranduil in Mirkwood.

Seeing as how The Hunt for Gollum will no doubt be expanding upon the events described in The Fellowship of the Ring, perhaps the Elves of Mirkwood will be more involved in Gollum's capture on-screen compared to the book, with Seren being sent to aid Gandalf and Aragorn in their hunt for the creature. After all, the opportunity to have more heroes involved in the search across Middle-earth could make the movie feel more epic/cinematic.

Whatever her full role looks like, the fact that Anya Taylor-Joy is confirmed to be playing an elven warrior of Mirkwood will naturally draw comparisons to Legolas (whether he's in the film or not). Especially if she's skilled with a bow (as most Elves are), the chance for The Hunt for Gollum to feature its own equivalent sounds very exciting across the board, especially with Anya Taylor-Joy in the role, an actress who very much feels tailor-made to play a badass Elf warrior in The Lord of the Rings franchise.

Anya Taylor-Joy Is Perfect For An Elf In Lord Of The Rings

Last alliance of elves and men in Lord of the Rings

By all accounts, Anya Taylor-Joy very much has the right look to play an Elf of Middle-earth. Her impressive filmography confirms she can bring the right kind of typical Eleven presence that will be well-suited for this new Hunt for Gollum role. Likewise, her upcoming role as Alia Atreides in this year's Dune: Part Three alone will no doubt prove she can play an Elf, as both roles require the ability to express a persona full of great age and years of wisdom while still appearing physically young.

Likewise, the opportunity to potentially see her acting alongside Jamie Dornan as a younger Aragorn sounds very promising. When taken all together, it certainly seems as though Anya Taylor-Joy is primed to bring to life a brand-new Lord of the Rings icon. (It's also super easy to picture her rocking some pointed ears too).

Lord Of The Rings Needs To Move On From Its Original Trilogy Characters

As exciting as it is to hear that select actors are returning to reprise some of the most iconic characters in the entire Lord of the Rings film franchise, it's arguably even more exciting to hear about new characters like Anya Taylor-Joy playing a new Elf warrior, or Kate Winslet playing a mysterious character named Marigol (who could be connected to Gollum's past as Smeagol).

Obviously, The Hunt for Gollum isn't moving away from the original trilogy of films from Peter Jackson. After all, the entire story is set between the events depicted in the first movie. Gandalf and Aragorn will be central to this story, with Gollum himself obviously being one of the franchise's most iconic and important characters.

However, the opportunity to introduce new characters and stories in Middle-earth is incredibly compelling. As such, it's good that new characters like Seren are being introduced in The Hunt for Gollum to keep things interesting and expand the narrative, and I'm just as excited by the idea of the franchise exploring/telling new stories as well, perhaps even beyond this upcoming movie alone.

Even if The Hunt for Gollum does feature Orlando Bloom's Legolas, having another Elven warrior alongside him does sound interesting, not unlike Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel in The Hobbit films, who was also an original Elven character. Whether she ends up as a brand-new ally to Legolas or serves as the movie's Legolas equivalent if Bloom doesn't return, Anya Taylor-Joy playing a brand-new Lord of the Rings character in The Hunt for Gollum is exciting all the same.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to release on December 17th, 2027.