A timeline has been confirmed for the new, Gollum-based The Lord of the Rings movie, and it places all nine Fellowship members within the movie’s grasp. Using the working title The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, the movie will be directed by Gollum actor Andy Serkis and will star him as Gollum. Screenwriter of The Hunt for Gollum movie, Philippa Boyens, confirmed that the story “falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines of Moria” and is a “specific chunk of… untold story” (Empire). As such, the Fellowship may appear in the upcoming movie.

The Fellowship of the Ring famously included the Hobbits, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took. Additionally, Elf Legolas and Dwarf Gimli joined the Fellowship, along with the Wizard, Gandalf, and the Men, Boromir and Aragorn. The adventures of this crew of nine formed the basis of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal novel, The Lord of the Rings, which was published in three parts. The Hunt for Gollum will explore events that occurred during this book.

The Lord Of The Rings’ Gollum Movie Will Partially Take Place After The Fellowship Has Been Formed

The Hunt For Gollum Timeline Won’t Extend Past Moria

The Hunt for Gollum will take place between Bilbo’s party and the Fellowship entering Khazad-dûm, so the Fellowship will be formed during the course of the movie’s plot. Bilbo’s party took place in the year 3001 of the Third Age. In this same year, Gandalf first started seeking news of Gollum and called on Aragorn for assistance. At some point between 3009 and 3017, Sauron captured and tortured Gollum, then let him go. Aragorn caught Gollum in 3017, and he escaped in June 3018. The Fellowship formed nearly 20 years after Bilbo’s party, on October 25, 3018.

The Hunt For Gollum Timeline (LotR Appendix B)
Year
Month
Date

Bilbo’s birthday party
3001
September
22

Gandalf started seeking news of Gollum and called on Aragorn’s help
3001
–
–

Gandalf and Aragorn renewed their hunt for Gollum
3009 – 3017
–
–

Sauron captured and tortured Gollum
3009 – 3017
–
–

Sauron let Gollum go
3017
–
–

Aragorn caught Gollum
3017
–
–

Gollum escaped
3018
June
20

All trace of Gollum lost, Gollum thought to have entered Moria
3018
August
–

Frodo left Bag End
3018
September
23

Council of Elrond, meeting of the Fellowship
3018
October
25

Fellowship left Rivendell
3018
December

Fellowship reached West-gate of Moria
3019
January
13

There were only about three months between the Fellowship forming and them reaching Moria – they reached Moria on January 13, 3019. Therefore, the movie will take place over 18 years, with the Fellowship together only for the last three months of it, but the movie could compress the timeline. During their time together, the Fellowship left Rivendell, crossed through Hollin, and attempted to traverse Caradhras before deciding to head to Moria. The Hunt for Gollum may show the Fellowship entering Moria as Gollum observes them. Likewise, it may show what the Fellowship members got up to separately before they met.

How The Gollum Movie Can Realistically Use The Lord Of The Rings’ Fellowship Characters

All Fellowship Characters Could Appear Briefly

Boyens confirmed that the story of The Hunt for Gollum will be told from Gollum’s perspective, so the Fellowship may crop up wherever they interact with Gollum between the years 3001 and 3019 of the Third Age. Boyens confirmed that the movie will take place before the events of the Mines of Moria. So, if the Fellowship crops up in Moria, it will be a brief appearance. However, there are other moments between 3001 and 3019 whereby Gollum could have bumped into a Fellowship member. In 3017, Aragorn brought Gollum to Mirkwood.

Tolkienian Age
Event Marking The Start
Years
Total Length In Solar Years

Before time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Indeterminate

Days before Days
The Ainur entered Eä
1 – 3,500 Valian Years
33,537

Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.)
Yavanna created the Two Trees
Y.T. 1 – 1050
10,061

First Age (F.A.)
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen
Y.T. 1050 – Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 – 590
4,902

Second Age (S.A.)
The War of Wrath ended
S.A. 1 – 3441
3,441

Third Age (T.A.)
The Last Alliance defeated Sauron
T.A. 1 – 3021
3,021

Fourth Age (Fo.A)
Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, & Galadriel sailed to Valinor
Fo.A 1 – unknown
Unknown

Specifically, Aragorn brought Gollum to Thranduil, one of the oldest characters in The Lord of the Rings movies. Thranduil was King of the Silvan Elves and the father of Legolas, making Legolas Prince of the Woodland Realm of Mirkwood. Gollum, Aragorn, and Legolas could all find their paths crossing during this key milestone in the hunt for Gollum. On June 20, 3018, Sauron’s forces attacked Thranduil in Mirkwood, facilitating Gollum’s escape. The Hunt for Gollum may find this action-friendly sequence irresistible as source material.

Which Fellowship Characters Could Get More Than A Cameo In The Lord Of The Rings’ Gollum Movie?

Certain Characters Are Due A Slightly Bigger Role

Although all nine Fellowship members could get a cameo in The Hunt for Gollum, Legolas, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Frodo could have bigger roles than the others. Legolas would likely be at home at some point during Gollum’s stay in Mirkwood, making his appearance very possible indeed. But it is Gandalf and Aragorn who led the hunt for Gollum in the book, and Gandalf, at least, is all but confirmed for the movie. Ian McKellen confirmed he has been asked to play Gandalf in the movie and expressed his enthusiasm (Deadline).

Meanwhile, Aragorn was the one to actually catch Gollum, so the movie can hardly be made without him. If Viggo Mortensen isn’t keen to resume his role, The Hunt for Gollum may face a dilemma. Of course, the script can easily fabricate material to replace Aragorn’s part in the story, but as faithful an adaptation as possible would be ideal. Mortensen confirmed that he would join Hunt for Gollum “if [he] was right for it in terms of… the age [he is] now and so forth. [He] would only do it if [he] was right for the character” (GQ).

Since Gandalf will feature in the movie, the movie will likely stray from Gollum’s perspective at some point, as Gandalf didn’t actually catch Gollum.

Elijah Wood’s Frodo Baggins also comes into play in Gollum’s story between 3001 and 3019. The birthday party cited by Boyens as the initiator of the events of the movie is actually Bilbo and Frodo’s – they shared a birthday. Also, Frodo was visited by Gandalf over the next few years, while Gandalf was seeking news of Gollum. Since Gandalf will feature in the movie, the movie will likely stray from Gollum’s perspective at some point, as Gandalf didn’t actually catch Gollum. Therefore, Gandalf and Frodo could certainly interact in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings movie.

Sources: Empire, Deadline, GQ