The cast of the new Lord Of The Rings film has been announced, with some exciting new faces set to share the screen with the franchise’s most recognisable stars.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, it was finally confirmed that Elijah Wood and Sir Ian McKellen will be reprising their roles as Frodo Baggins and Gandalf in The Hunt For Gollum.

Andy Serkis will also be back as the titular villain, in addition to directing the new movie, which will serve as a prequel to the first Lord Of The Rings movie.

Joining them will be new additions Kate Winslet, Lee Pace and Leo Woodall as Marigol, Thrandul and Halvard, respectively.

However, perhaps the most intriguing announcement is the news that Jamie Dornan is also joining the franchise as Strider, a character who Middle Earth fans will know is later revealed to be Aragorn.

Aragorn was played in the first three Lord Of The Rings movies by three-time Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen, who it was confirmed earlier this month would not be returning for the new film.

During an interview with ScreenRant, Andy Serkis teased: “I don’t know what’s out there at the moment, but I know there’s a lot of speculation, but let’s just say we are recasting the role and we are on the way to finding someone.”

Letting fans know what they were in for, he added: “Our film takes place between The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, and it’s The Hunt For Gollum, and it is a physical hunt for the character, but also a psychological hunt for himself.

“So, we’re just about on the launchpad now, and it’s very exciting. And yeah, it’s going to be a big ride.”

Filming on The Hunt For Gollum is due to get underway next month, with the movie hitting cinemas in December 2027.

Meanwhile, another Lord Of The Rings instalment written by US comedian and Tolkien superfan Stephen Colbert is also in the works.