Anya Taylor-Joy Prepares for The Hunt for Gollum by Reading The Lord of the Rings

Anya Taylor-Joy is gearing up for a fresh deep dive into Middle-earth, and she’s doing it the old-fashioned way: by reading The Lord of the Rings books. The actor’s next step comes as she prepares for The Hunt for Gollum, where she’s been cast in a brand-new role tied to the world’s elven politics.

Taylor-Joy, known for Furiosa and the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, will portray an elf named Seren. The character is a new creation for the upcoming prequel starring Andy Serkis as Gollum. Seren is described as “a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm,” and as “a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil,” played by Lee Pace. Taylor-Joy says the word “lethal” is the part that stuck with her.

In a recent conversation with Variety, Taylor-Joy explained that as a kid she thought she had to pick one fandom or the other—either Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but not both. She said she only ended up watching Peter Jackson’s films during the COVID-19 period. Now, she’s planning to read Tolkien’s books directly, which feels like a natural move given she’s now set to appear in a new Lord of the Rings movie.

What Taylor-Joy said about becoming both a Rings and Potter fan

1. Taylor-Joy says she’s “about to read the books now,” clarifying that her earlier mindset was that she could only be loyal to one franchise.
2. She added that nobody corrected her as a child, because she essentially made that rule up herself.
3. During COVID, she watched all of Lord of the Rings, then realized you can genuinely enjoy both series—and “you should.”
4. When asked about her new role, she declined to spoil anything specific about The Hunt for Gollum, but said the part feels “so fun.”
5. She also joked that if her tombstone can read “Lethal Elf,” then she’ll consider the job well done.

Seren’s introduction and why fans are comparing her to Tauriel

Seren’s creation has already sparked discussion among Lord of the Rings fans. Several viewers have suggested that the character’s setup sounds close to Tauriel, the elf aide to Thranduil played by Evangeline Lilly in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films. Tauriel was also one of that trilogy’s most debated additions, and the comparison has quickly taken off now that another Thranduil-adjacent elf has entered the story.

The Hunt for Gollum is set during a stretch of time that Tolkien’s main narrative only references briefly. The movie focuses on where Gollum is before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. During this period, Gandalf, Aragorn, and forces led by Sauron are all hunting for the Ring of Power, and the project is positioned to expand on Gollum’s backstory.

AI de-aging update for the cast

This week, details emerged about how the film will use digital technology to keep certain characters looking closer to their earlier selves. The Hunt for Gollum will digitally de-age some performers using machine learning and AI. Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen are returning as their iconic characters—Frodo and Gandalf—more than 25 years after The Fellowship of the Ring originally arrived in theaters. The plan is to make them appear even younger than they did in the 2001 classic.

Release plans and related projects

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled for a theatrical release on December 17, 2027. In addition, The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past—co-written by Stephen Colbert—is also in development.