Lord of the Rings fans have been eating really well lately, as it’s been a while since the franchise has delivered content so consistently. Aside from The Rings of Power Season 3, we can look forward to a new live-action film that takes place in the timeline of the original movie trilogy. So it’s no wonder that many have been wondering about the chances of the original cast reprising their roles. Now, John Rhys-Davies shares what it would take for him to make a return, and it’s quite reasonable.
Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set to be the first live-action Middle-earth film since The Hobbit trilogy’s third installment in 2014. While chatting with Collider, John Rhys-Davies, known for his role as Gimli in the original trilogy, talked about the possibility of reprising his role in the film. Based on Rhys-Davies’ comments, he’s not totally opposed to rejoining the franchise, yet there’s one element of the work that would have to change:
Well, I’m known to not want to put that prosthetic on again, but out of deference to Andy, whom I love and admire and again who has grown so much, if they invited me…oh god could I dare to put on that make-up again and lose my skin? Maybe with CGI. Before when they asked me to do ‘The Hobbit’, for instance, I said no. No, not at all. Times have moved on and technology has moved on, if I don’t have to spend eight hours a day for three years of my life in a make-up chair, I might indeed do it. The other thing is physically I am no longer capable of putting eighty pounds of extra armor and stuff on and climbing up mountains.
The now-80-year-old John Rhys-Davies actually has returned to the LOTR universe since the OG films, often lending his voice to productions and even making an appearance as Gimli for the Return to Moria video game. All in all, it seems that just like some of his fellow co-stars he has no issue reprising his role. It’s just that the job might be far too demanding for him at this point.
Some may be aware that the original trilogy was physically demanding on the cast as alluded to by the Raiders of the Lost Ark alum’s comments above. The veteran actor previously discussed injuries he and other LOTR cast members sustained while on set. There have been strides in filmmaking that would much such prosthetic processes easier. After all, CGI is becoming more of a standard However, that’s led some stars, including Gandalf actor Ian McKellen, to feel less connected to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional world compared to when the first three films were made.
Despite that, I’d like to think that a number of fans would love to see John Rhys-Davies return to the fold. We’ll just have to wait and see if that actually comes to pass. Right now, a release date has yet to be announced forThe Hunt for Gollum let alone a cast. Let’s hope that Andy Serkis’ titular character will be joined by Rhys-Davies or some other familiar faces.
For now, be sure to check out the animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim , which opens in theaters on December 13 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. You can also stream the original trilogy using a Max subscription.