Jamie Dornan on taking Aragorn role in Lord of the Rings prequel

Jamie Dornan is stepping into the role of a younger Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, taking on a part that Viggo Mortensen made iconic in Peter Jackson’s original trilogy. In an interview with L’Officiel, translated by Slash Film, Dornan reflected on what it means to inherit such a storied role.

“There’s pressure when you’re trying to follow in those footsteps,” Dornan said. “I’ve been asked to play a super iconic role, and I’ll do my best. But for me, Aragorn will always be just Viggo. His performance is one of my all-time favorites, and I feel honored to try to recapture at least some of the energy he originally brought to the character. There’s no part of me that’s trying to outdo him.”

Dornan’s version of the character will show Aragorn at an earlier stage of his story, before his rise to the throne of Gondor. In The Hunt for Gollum, he is known by his alias Strider, a solitary hunter sent by Gandalf on a mission to track down the corrupted hobbit.

Andy Serkis Takes the Director’s Chair

The film marks a significant milestone for Andy Serkis, who originated the role of Gollum through voice and motion-capture work in the original trilogy and will both direct and reprise the character for The Hunt for Gollum. This is his first time directing a main installment of the fantasy franchise. Serkis has previously worked as second unit director on The Hobbit trilogy and directed standalone projects including Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Cast and Returning Players

The film draws on both legacy casting and fresh additions to its ensemble. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf, while Elijah Wood returns as Frodo. Newcomers to Middle-Earth for this project are Kate Winslet, Leo Woodall, Lee Pace and Anya Taylor-Joy, according to Variety.

This article was compiled by the Glamorade editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.