The Lord of the Rings movies are a piece of film history, with the faithful book-to-screen adaptation thrilling fans and earning universal acclaim. That franchise (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription) was eventually expanded with the Hobbit movies, and we're about to get another installment with The Hunt for Gollum, which will both star and be directed by Andy Serkis. Anya Taylor-Joy was recently cast in the role of Seren, and her comments about becoming an elf are cracking me up.
Folks who watched the Lord of the Rings movies in order know that Elves have a big role in the story of Middle-Earth. And when news broke that the Queen's Gambit star was going to play one, the internet was set ablaze. In a clip from Rotten Tomatoes' Twitter, Taylor-Joy joked about her elf-like qualities, saying:
I feel like I’ve been an elf my whole life, so it feels very validating to go and actually be able to do it as a job.
Honestly, I love this. Clearly, the Emmy-nominated actress has a good sense of humor and doesn't take herself too seriously. And with her long blonde hair and porcelain skin, you can't deny that she already looks like she's straight out of Lord of the Rings. And I can't wait to see what she does with Seren when the next movie hits theaters in 2027.
Fans have been waiting for updates about The Hunt for Gollum, which is why Anya Taylor-Joy's casting quickly went viral among the fandom. After joking about how she basically has been an elf her entire life, the Dune: Part Three actress gushed about the LOTR franchise, as well as Andy Serkis specifically. In the same interview, she said:
I'm a huge fan of Lord of the Rings. I'm a huge fan of Andy Serkis. I think he's a wonderful man and a wonderful innovative creator. And so I think just being able to be a part of this world and to inhabit this character is a dream come true.
Aside from her elf-like qualities, Anya Taylor-Joy is an accomplished actress who has plenty of experience with genre work prior to joining LOTR. That includes superhero projects like The New Mutants and Split as well as her sci-fi role in the Dune franchise. I have no doubt she'll be kicking butt and taking names in Middle-Earth, even if she doesn't need that much to transform into an elf.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 17th, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, we're going to be patient while waiting for more information.
