The Hunt for Gollum film begins shooting in New Zealand

Warner Bros. released a short teaser to mark the start of filming for the upcoming prequel film *The Hunt for Gollum*. The teaser shows Andy Serkis in his motion‑capture suit, speaking as Gollum and ending with a hidden message written in Tolkien’s Cirth rune alphabet that fans have translated as “Something precious awaits”.

Production has moved to the iconic Hobbiton location on New Zealand’s North Island, with the set temporarily closed to visitors while crew – some dressed in the franchise’s signature furry hobbit feet – shoot scenes among the original hills and houses. The film, directed by Serkis and produced by Peter Jackson, is set chronologically between *The Hobbit* and *The Fellowship of the Ring* and aims to return audiences to the roots of Tolkien’s cinematic universe.