Aragorn casting: Andy Serkis REVEALS 'LOTR' star Viggo Mortensen holds no grudge against Jamie Dornan

Director Andy Serkis has said that "Lord of the Rings" alum Viggo Mortensen has no issues with Jamie Dornan, who has taken over the role of Aragorn in the upcoming movie "The Hunt for Gollum".

Appearing on the "Happy, Sad, Confused" podcast, Serkis said that Mortensen was in fact happy about the announcement that Dornan will be taking over the role.

"I really, really don't want to go into it right now because I do want to save that for, you know, further down the line," Serkis said.


"I'm gonna save all discussion about casting. Other than that, we are thrilled that Jamie's doing it. I mean, we're, you know, we're absolutely thrilled. And, by the way, so is Viggo," he added.

In the new movie, the British actor-filmmaker will also reprise his role as Gollum, the tragic figure he originated in Peter Jackson's original trilogy in the early 2000s and returned to in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".

Dornan plays Strider, the chief of the Northern Dunedain Rangers, the character also known to fans as Aragorn.

Mortensen essayed the fan-favourite role in the original trilogy -- "The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001), "The Two Towers" (2002) and "The Return of the King" (2003).

The new film's cast was formally announced by Warner Bros and New Line at their CinemaCon presentation earlier this month.

The story follows Aragorn and Gandalf as they search for Gollum to learn more about Bilbo's ring - which turns out to be the One Ring that threatens all of Middle-earth during the events of "Lord of the Rings."

The film sees several returning faces from the original trilogy -- Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. Lee Pace also returns as the elf Thranduil, a role he played in the "Hobbit" trilogy.

Newcomers to the franchise include Kate Winslet as Marigol and Leo Woodall as Halvard, another of the Dunedain who joins Strider on the hunt.

Speaking about Gollum's enduring appeal as a character, Serkis said he is perhaps the most complex figure JRR Tolkien, the author of the "Lord of the Rings" books, ever created.

"There is so much more to be dug out of this very complex character - the most, perhaps, complex character Tolkien wrote, because he kept revisiting it as well, right? You know, multiple times," Serkis said.

"And so there was a desire for a series of return to Middle-earth movies, and this seemed to be a great way in. To be able to bring some of the cast back, but also this is a very much more intimate story and a deep dive and psychological investigation into a character who has become, you know, sort of absorbed into public consciousness in a rather large way. So, it sort of feels like there is a real relevance," he added.


Original trilogy screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens return alongside Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou to adapt the Tolkien source material.

Serkis said the story fits neatly into the broader Middle-earth timeline.

"It sits very neatly between the 'Hobbit' trilogy and the 'Lord of the Rings,' and it is a great way of bringing audiences back into this world," he said.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" is set for a theatrical release on December 17, 2027.

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