Anya Taylor-Joy joins 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' as elven agent Seren

The casting

Warner Bros. announced that Anya Taylor-Joy will play Seren, a newly created character for the film. The studio shared a first-look image on social media and welcomed her to Middle-earth.

“Welcome to the hunt, Anya Taylor-Joy.”

The role

Taylor-Joy plays a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm, described as a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil, who is portrayed by Lee Pace. The character is an original creation for this film, much like new roles for Kate Winslet and Leo Woodall.

The ensemble

Andy Serkis directs and returns as Gollum and Sméagol. Returning cast includes Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo, and Lee Pace as Thranduil. Newcomers include Jamie Dornan as Strider (replacing Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn), Kate Winslet as Marigol, and Leo Woodall as Halvard.

The story

Set between the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies, the film follows Aragorn and Gandalf as they search for Gollum to learn more about Bilbo's ring. The screenplay is by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.

Other Middle-earth projects

A second Lord of the Rings film, Shadow of the Past, is also in development, written by Philippa Boyens, Stephen Colbert, and Peter McGee. The original and Hobbit trilogies have earned nearly $6 billion worldwide.