Anya Taylor-Joy has officially joined the cast of The Hunt for Gollum, but the announcement has sparked debate among Lord of the Rings fans over the introduction of a new character not created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Warner Bros. announced the casting on social media, stating: "Welcome to the hunt, Anya Taylor-Joy. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum only in theaters 17 December 2027." The film is set between Bilbo Baggins' birthday celebration and the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, following Aragorn's mission to track down Gollum before he reveals the location of the One Ring to Sauron.
The cast includes Jamie Dornan as Aragorn, with returning franchise stars Andy Serkis as Gollum, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Taylor-Joy will play Seren, a Sindar elf created specifically for the film.
While many fans praised the casting choice, discussion on social media quickly focused on the decision to introduce an original character into Tolkien's world. One fan wrote: "Who? What is happening. Why do they do this. Make up characters. It didn't work in The Hobbit. It doesn't work in ROP." Another commented: "Don't get me wrong, I like Anya as an Elf. I want to be optimistic, but the names of new characters announced for this film are definitely red flags that we'll see lazy, 'Rings-of-Power'-esque slop."
Several fans questioned why filmmakers were expanding a story that occupies only a small section of Tolkien's writings, while others argued that Middle-earth already contains enough established characters without creating new ones. However, many responses were supportive of Taylor-Joy's casting. Fans described her as "an incredible casting choice". Some also joked that her appearance made her a natural fit for an elven role.
