Andy Serkis responds to criticism over lack of diversity in 'Lord of the Rings'

The new film from the Lord of the Rings universe has raised questions about the representation of different cultures and actors even before its premiere, and director and actor Andy Serkis has now responded to the criticism that has followed this film franchise for years.

Serkis will reprise his role as Gollum in "The Hunt for Gollum," but will also be directing for the first time. The film, which is scheduled for release in 2027, takes audiences back to a time before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring.

The film will also feature familiar faces from the original trilogy - Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood, while new roles will be played by Jamie Dornan, Kate Winslet and Anya Taylor-Joy. However, no actors of color have been announced for the project so far, which has reignited discussions about diversity in Tolkien's world.

Speaking to the BBC, Serkis acknowledged that there had been criticism of the predominantly white casts in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, but explained that the new film would not be guided by the principle of "filling quotas".

"Tolkien himself was heavily inspired by Norse mythology, and that influence is felt in his world. The Shire is conceived as a very homogeneous, closed place whose inhabitants are largely uninterested in what is happening outside their borders and do not like changes coming from outside," said Serkis, admitting that there was criticism because there was no diversity.

"This film kind of acknowledges that issue. But we don't think we're going to make a politically correct version where actors are chosen just to fulfill certain points. It's only going to be where it makes sense."

Serkis also revealed that "The Hunt for Gollum" will explore the period of Gollum's life before he became the character we know.

"The film absolutely takes place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, as well as between the books. It will be a deep exploration of the psychology and history of Gollum before he became Gollum, but also the story of Gandalf's question about the possible origins of the ring that Bilbo Baggins has," he said.

According to him, the search for Gollum will take place on two different levels, but he did not want to reveal any more details for now.