Summary

• The Hunt for Gollum will bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, which is both exciting and concerning for the original LOTR trilogy.
• Modern motion capture tech will enhance Gollum's appearance with fluid movements and seamless CGI.
• Comparisons to new visuals may make the Lord of the Rings trilogy's CGI seem outdated, risking its legacy in the process.

Andy Serkis' return in Warner Bros.' 2026 takes place in The Lord of the Rings timeline, it could also bring back other actors from the original trilogy.

Drawing connections to Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies feels like a surefire way to build anticipation for The Hunt for Gollum. There's a reason the first three LOTR films are still so popular. However, linking the projects also comes with one significant risk. The Hunt for Gollum could hurt the Lord of the Rings trilogy's legacy more than two decades after it ended. Considering how well-loved Jackson's movies are, this would be an upsetting turn of events.

Andy Serkis' Gollum With Modern Motion Capture Tech Will Look Amazing

Visual Technology Has Come A Long Way Since The Early 2000s

Serkis' return as Gollum in 2026's Lord of the Rings movie ensures the character will sound familiar, maintaining consistency throughout Warner Bros.' franchise. However, it's likely that Gollum will look a bit different than he does in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Visual effects have come a long way since the early 2000s, and Serkis' Gollum stands to look even better on-screen thanks to modern motion capture technology. His movements will be more fluid, and the CGI will appear seamless and natural. As Gollum is the film's lead, there will likely be a greater focus on how he looks.

While enhanced technology will help The Hunt for Gollum, it could hurt The Lord of the Rings movies.

Improving Gollum's appearance on-screen is great news for The Hunt for Gollum, as it will likely garner praise for its visuals. With the new Lord of the Rings project arriving on the heels of stunning movies like Dune, it will need to utilize modern technology to keep up with competition. It must cement itself among modern sci-fi and fantasy franchises, and there's little doubt it will succeed on that front. But while enhanced technology will help The Hunt for Gollum, it could hurt The Lord of the Rings movies.

The Hunt For Gollum Will Make The Original LOTR Trilogy's CGI Jarring In Comparison

Comparisons Will Draw Attention To How Old Peter Jackson's Trilogy Is

With The Hunt for Gollum featuring characters and actors from The Lord of the Rings movies, there's little doubt that viewers will draw comparisons between the projects. Depending on how well done the CGI in The Hunt for Gollum is, it could make the original LOTR trilogy's visuals feel jarring in hindsight. Although the original films boast impressive effects for the late '90s and early 2000s, they don't necessarily hold up in a modern light. Most viewers are happy to overlook this because they're great movies. However, seeing an updated Gollum will draw attention to how the LOTR movies have aged.

With The Hunt for Gollum featuring characters and actors from The Lord of the Rings movies, there's little doubt that viewers will draw comparisons between the projects.

This isn't as much of an issue for other recent projects based on J.R.R. Tolkien's books, like The Rings of Power and The War of the Rohirrim. These are distantly connected to Frodo's story, but they don't feature much overlap with Jackson's movies. Certain characters from the trilogy appear, but they're younger versions of the people we meet in LOTR. Because The Rings of Power and War of the Rohirrim take place so long before The Fellowship of the Ring, they don't demand comparisons to Jackson's films. Unfortunately, The Hunt for Gollum is too close to avoid them.

The Lord Of The Rings Shouldn't Be Judged Against Modern Movie Visuals (But Will Be)

It's Inevitable With Warner Bros. Making New LOTR Projects

The Lord of the Rings movies shouldn't be judged against modern visuals, as they're products of their time — and impressive ones at that. They're considered modern classics, and the writing and acting still hold up after all this time. The CGI is the main element of the films that ages them, but even then, it's not enough to make them unwatchable. Similar to movies like Jurassic Park and The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings still looks good during a modern viewing experience. It's only comparisons to newer projects that reveal the limitations of its technology.

Sadly, The Hunt for Gollum will spark those comparisons in a way that no other projects have. So, while The Lord of the Rings movies shouldn't be held to modern visual standards, they likely will be. This could risk harming the trilogy's legacy, especially when it comes to newer audiences. Those who grew up with Jackson's films aren't likely to change their opinions of them, but viewers accustomed to better visuals — and coming to the franchise for the first time — might not love what they see.