The big question mark surrounding the upcoming ‘Lord of the Rings’ film that remains unresolved
Just as important as the cast is the visual and auditory identity of Jackson’s Middle-earth.
Viggo Mortensen will not be playing Aragorn in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’. That was one of the biggest questions surrounding the new film, which was resolved just a few days ago when Warner Bros. Discovery announced the main cast. The fact that Jamie Dornan will be stepping into Strider’s shoes is, without a doubt, a game-changer. However, another mystery looms over Middle-earth and the world of mortals.
Just as important as the actors or the production design is the soundtrack. Howard Shore’s music is an integral part of Middle-earth’s sonic identity. Peter Jackson’s adaptation wouldn’t be the same without the fantastic scores composed by Shore, who also returned for ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy.
Warner has not confirmed Howard Shore’s return
So far, Warner Bros. Discovery has not announced whether Howard Shore will be returning. The Gollum theme played during the cast announcement, but the music belongs to the company, so it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Even if they hired a new composer, there would still be musical continuity. For example, the soundtrack for ‘The War of the Rohirrim’, the anime film set in Peter Jackson’s universe, was composed by Stephen Gallagher, who uses some of Howard Shore’s musical themes.
In franchises such as ‘Star Wars’, ‘Jurassic Park’, and ‘Harry Potter’, John Williams passed the torch to other composers, who continued to use and reinterpret his themes alongside new and additional pieces.
Shore also composed the opening theme for the series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, which has nothing to do with Peter Jackson’s adaptation.
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‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ will begin filming in the coming weeks. Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, and Lee Pace will reprise their respective roles as Gandalf, Frodo, and Thranduil. The film is expected to premiere on December 17, 2027.
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