Elijah Wood Shuts Down Conversation About a ‘Lord of the Rings’ Remake Without Him
It’s been over 20 years since Elijah Wood starred in The Lord of the Rings series, but the films are still an important part of his life. Wood said he found a family on set and greatly enjoyed his time playing Frodo Baggins. While some actors, like the stars of the Harry Potter series, have passed on the torch, Wood said he doesn’t want to see another person take on the role of Frodo.
Elijah Wood said he doesn’t want to see someone else play Frodo in ‘The Lord of the Rings’
Ian McKellan, who played Gandalf, recently confirmed that he would appear in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. The 2027 film will explore the period between the end of The Hobbit and the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. While Wood can’t confirm his role in the film, he said fans shouldn’t be surprised to see him in it.
“It hasn’t been officially announced, but at a convention last August, Ian sort of let the cat out of the bag,” he told the Times. “So there is a good chance. 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. It’s always a little nerve-racking when people talk about new movies for a world like Middle-earth. Everyone gets a little protective and hopes it retains its level of integrity, but this story is fun, thrilling. There is a genuine feeling of getting the band back together.”
He said he doesn’t want to see another actor take on the role.
“I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I’m alive and able,” he said. “And I can also recognise what fun that is going to be — when you are in the cinema and you see the hat turn around and it’s Gandalf. Because I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together.”
Elijah Wood said he was grateful to have worked before ‘The Lord of the Rings’
While The Lord of the Rings made Wood a household name, he had some experience with fame before his role as Frodo. Wood said he is grateful for the early exposure. It made the later attention on him feel slightly more manageable.
“So it’s fortunate that, by the time The Lord of the Rings entered my life, I had some experience with being recognisable,” he said. “Not to anywhere near the level any of us would encounter on that, but, honestly, going through The Lord of the Rings? When you’ve been through that wild cultural event and made it through feeling whole and human? Well, I felt sort of set for the rest of my life. Like, if that wasn’t going to f*** me up — what will?”
After The Return of the King, Wood had to move on from the series. He didn’t believe the part damaged his career, as some franchise roles appear to.
“It never felt like a hindrance,” Wood said. “It was not as if I was only getting offers to be in fantasy films. More than anything, it provided me with opportunity on a simple awareness level. It has only felt like a gift in my life. Not just for those films to mean so much to so many people, but the experience of making them in New Zealand, the friendships…”
He spoke about his close relationship with the rest of the cast
The filming for The Lord of the Rings took place over a lengthy period. While many series give actors a break between films, director Peter Jackson shot these concurrently. Wood believes this brought the cast closer together.
“It transcends friendship. We’re more like family,” he told Film Talk. “None of us had ever worked in anything that was that all-encompassing and that was a job stretched over four years. And so, most of us were away from our homes and our families for certainly sixteen months at that time. So we became each other’s family whilst making it and bonded over that experience.”
He believes they will always be close.
“So yeah, we are like family and in that way too where you may not see each other for a long time, and then when you do it’s as if no time has passed, you know.”
