Elijah Wood Says He’ll Keep Playing Frodo As Long As He’s ‘Alive And Able’

Elijah Wood does not want anyone else playing the iconic role he is most known for, Frodo Baggins, and says he would reprise it. However, the actor is keeping mum about whether he will appear in the upcoming "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" movie, leaving fans curious about the upcoming film.

It has been more than two decades since Wood appeared in the "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy, and with a new film on the horizon, many are wondering whether the actor will be back to play Frodo once again.

In an interview with The Times, the 45-year-old actor shared his thoughts about the character, but was careful not to spill details about the new movie. When asked whether he'll be back, Wood said, "I'm not able to officially say anything until it's announced, but I will say I'm thrilled with the prospect of another film," he shared.

Wood's co-stars in LOTR, Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom, who played Gandalf and Legolas, respectively, have both said they don't want to see anyone else to play their characters, and Wood shares the sentiment.

As he told the outlet, "I certainly wouldn't want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I'm alive and able."

Wood was in his late teens when he auditioned for the role of Frodo Baggins, a role that he desperately wanted. LOTR director Peter Jackson revealed that initially, they wanted to find an English actor to play the hobbit, but after seeing hundreds of applicants in London, he had not found what he was looking for.

He then received a VHS audition tape from Wood, whom he was not familiar with. Jackson realized that he had found his Frodo after viewing the tape, calling Wood "wonderful" and "absolutely great."

In 2021, Wood detailed what he did to prepare for the audition, revealing that he hired a vocal coach to help nail the dialect and even rented a hobbit costume. He then rallied a few friends to help him film a few scenes. "I got a call from Peter himself, which was amazing, totally mindblowing," the actor gushed.

Wood, as Frodo, was the main protagonist in the LOTR movies, appearing in all three films: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001), "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002), and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003).

Frodo was the so-called "ring-bearer," who went on a journey with his fellow hobbits Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), and Peregrin "Pippin" Took (Billy Boyd), to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom.

Jackson later released "The Hobbit" trilogy, also set in Middle-Earth like "The Lord of the Rings." Wood reprised his role as Frodo in the first movie, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012), though he only appeared onscreen for a few minutes.

The LOTR trilogy was filmed simultaneously in New Zealand, and Wood was just 18 years old when shooting began. Filming wrapped up when he was 22 years old, and according to the actor, his time on set impacted him as a human:

"It was a huge period of my life, and a real kind of growing period, where one would typically go to university -- a period of time where you're expriencing your first independence, and you're really growing as a human being."

As the actor noted, his experiences on set "shaped" his life as a person, and he's grateful for being part of something "culturally significant." Moreover, starring in the trilogy opened career opportunities for him that he otherwise wouldn't have had, he told Parade in January.

Not many details are known about "The Hunt for Gollum," but it has been revealed that Andy Serkis, who played Gollum, will reprise his role. Moreover, he will be taking over the director's chair, and Jackson will return to produce the film, as reported by People.

"It is an honor and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker -- Gollum!" Jackson said in a statement.

McKellen, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will be returning as Gandalf. While he also teased that Frodo would appear in the film, Wood has chosen to keep quiet until an official announcement is made.

"The Hunt for Gollum" is expected to be released in 2027.