The Lord of the Rings' next movie should feature a meeting between characters that was set up byThe Hobbit. After the live-actionLord of the Ringsmoviesdebuted, the franchise also releasedThe Hobbittrilogy and the anime filmThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. WhileThe HobbitandWar of the Rohirrimwere not as well-received, they do feature many exciting connections toPeter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy that enrich the world-building of Middle-earth.
Some of the best connections have been when familiar characters return and when their pasts are explored. Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins' shared history is integral toThe Fellowship of the Ring, but it is not untilThe Hobbitmovies that their past is shown in live-action. Othermemorable connections include Legolas being in the second and thirdHobbitmovies, even though he does not appear in the source material, and Saruman acquiring Isengard duringWar of the Rohirrim’s ending. The franchise can build on this with a character meeting that has not been shown yet.
The Hobbit Trilogy Suggests That Legolas & Aragorn Meet Before Lord Of The Rings
Thranduil Tells Legolas To Find Strider
Toward the end ofThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,Thranduil suggests to Legolas that he find a ranger in the north who goes by the name of Strider. This, of course, is a reference to Aragorn being called Strider, a name that is familiar from his introduction inThe Fellowship of the Ring. Thranduil’s suggestion sets a precedent for Aragorn and Legolas to meet during the years afterThe Battle of the Five Armiesand beforeFellowship of the Ringsees them both in Rivendell.
20 Wild Things Legolas Did Between The Hobbit And The Lord Of The Rings
Many decades passed between The Hobbit saga and The Lord of The Rings trilogy, and Legolas had many adventures. What did the Elf get up to?
WhenThe Battle of the Five Armieswas released in 2014, it was seemingly the end ofThe Lord of the Ringsmovies. Thranduil’s suggestion was an effective way of filling in a gap between the trilogies. Now that the franchise is continuing with more movies, though, there is an opportunity to actually show Aragorn and Legolas meeting for the first time. Showing this meeting can provide more context to their relationship before they pledge to help Frodo reach Mordor and destroy the One Ring.
Hunt For Gollum Should Show Legolas & Aragorn Meeting Before Fellowship Of The Ring
The Movie Is Set Between The Two Trilogies
The Hunt for Gollumis confirmedto be the nextLord of the Ringsmovie and presents the perfect opportunity to show Aragorn and Legolas' first meeting. The story is set afterThe Battle of the Five Armiesand beforeThe Fellowship of the Ring, which can allow Aragorn and Legolas' meeting to work in terms of the canon timeline. Their meeting can serve as payoff for Thranduil’s suggestion and help bridge the gap between the two trilogies where their characters are concerned.
The Hunt for Gollumis being directed by Andy Serkis, produced by Peter Jackson, and is slated to release in 2026.
Andy Serkis is returning to play Gollum and Ian McKellen is reprising his role as Gandalf.Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom returning to play Aragorn and Legolas can add further appeal toThe Hunt For Gollumgiven the popularity of their characters, especially if their first meeting is emphasized in the movie’s marketing. Seeing how Aragorn and Legolas first met can add more context to their relationship in the later movies, especially when they first make the choice to join the Fellowship and protect Frodo at all costs.
The Next Lord Of The Rings Movie Might Flip Thranduil’s Suggestion To Legolas
Aragorn May Be The One To Find Legolas
Thranduil’s suggestion makes it seem like Legolas will be the one to find Aragorn. However,Legolas' nextLord of the Ringsappearancemay instead see Aragorn being the one to find him. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, Aragorn brings Gollum to Mirkwood after capturing him. Since Legolas lives in Mirkwood, Aragorn may cross paths with the elf while he is there. This would not provide a payoff for the tease at the end ofThe Battle of the Five Armies, but it would still ensure that Aragorn and Legolas get to meet.
Aragorn and Legolas' first meeting will not be the focus of the nextThe Lord of the Ringsmovie, but it can still be a valuable moment inThe Hunt for Gollum’s story.
If Aragorn arrives in Mirkwood duringThe Hunt for Gollum, and it is revealed that he and Legolas have already met,the movie could still show Aragorn and Legolas' first meeting via flashbacks. Flashbacks can communicate the context needed for what happened when Aragorn and Legolas first met before seeing each other again in Mirkwood. Aragorn and Legolas' first meeting will not be the focus of the nextThe Lord of the Ringsmovie, but it can still be a valuable moment inThe Hunt for Gollum’s story.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
