Director Andy Serkis says Viggo Mortensen has no hard feelings towards Jamie Dornan after Dornan took over the role of Aragorn for the upcoming “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.”

Serkis appeared on the “Happy, Sad, Confused” podcast in an episode released on Thursday and told host Josh Horowitz that there was no animosity from Mortensen’s side regarding the “Lord of the Rings” prequel.

“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.”

In addition to directing, Serkis will also reprise his role as Gollum, whom he portrayed in the original trilogy. Other returning members include Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Lee Pace as Thranduil. Newcomers to the “Lord of the Rings” series include Kate Winslet as Marigol and Leo Woodall as Halvard.

“There is so much more to be dug out of this very complex character — the most, perhaps, complex character [J.R.R.] Tolkien wrote, because he kept revisiting it as well, right? You know, multiple times,” Serkis said, adding, “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.”

The film will chronicle the search for the titular corrupted Hobbit in the years leading up to the trilogy’s first installment, “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Original trilogy screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are joined by Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou in adapting the J.R.R. Tolkien source material.

Serkis further commented, “I think there’s still a wealth of stuff to be got out of the character, and it sits very neatly between the ‘Hobbit’ trilogy and the ‘Lord of the Rings.’ And it is a great, I think, of bringing audiences back into this world.”

“The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” is set to be released in theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.

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