Jamie Dornan to play Aragorn in new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie

Jamie Dornan, pictured at Paris Fashion Week in January 2026, is taking on the role of Aragorn in the new "Lord of the Rings" movie. (Aurore Marechal/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Jamie Dornan is among the new faces joining the cast of the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” movie, taking on the role of Aragorn, famously played by Viggo Mortensen in the original trilogy.

The movie, titled “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” and set for cinema release from December 17, 2027, is being directed by Andy Serkis, who will also reprise his role as Gollum/Smeagol.

Warner Bros. made the cast announcements during its presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN.

Other key actors from the previous movies will return, too, including Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Ian McKellen as Gandalf. Lee Pace, who played elf king Thranduil in the “Hobbit” trilogy, will also be back.

In addition to “50 Shades of Grey” star Dornan, other big names set to join the cast include Kate Winslet, who will play a hobbit named Marigol, and “White Lotus” star Leo Woodall, who will take on the role of Halvard, a Dúnedain ranger.

The new film is a prequel to the original movie series, set between the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Fellowship of the Ring,” and will tell the story of Aragorn’s quest to capture Gollum.

Peter Jackson is producing the film alongside his writing partners from the original trilogy, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

Jackson made history with “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, becoming the first person to direct three major feature films simultaneously.

“The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King” were nominated for multiple awards, with the third film clinching 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, in 2004.

Serkis served as second-unit director on Jackson’s “The Hobbit” trilogy and directed the 2021 film “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.”

By Sophie Tanno, CNN