Peter Jackson Finally Answers if a ‘Lord of the Rings Mithril Cut’ Is Real

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For years, fans have hoped there was lost footage from the making of the Lord of the Rings films. However, Peter Jackson has confirmed that this footage doesn’t exist.

In a recent 25th anniversary issue of Empire magazine, Peter Jackson confirmed that the rumored “Mithril Cut” – a supposed version of the trilogy with even more footage than the Extended Editions – doesn’t actually exist. It’s just a fan-made idea.

He said there aren’t any significant deleted scenes that would justify releasing a new version of the film. While some small clips remain, nothing substantial was cut that would improve the experience.

Jackson admitted that any longer cut of the film wouldn’t be very satisfying. He explained that it would only include a few extra seconds of footage here and there, and wouldn’t be worth releasing. Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote the screenplay, confirmed this, stating that while they did film some scenes—like a younger Aragorn courting Arwen—there isn’t a significant amount of unused story material despite what rumors online might suggest.

Despite the challenges, the director still wants to revisit the world of the films. Jackson plans to create a large-scale Lord of the Rings documentary, using all the behind-the-scenes footage he’s kept. This would include alternate scenes, funny outtakes, and a detailed look at how the movies were made. However, he’s still working to get the studio’s approval for this ambitious project.

Okay, so the ambitious ‘Mithril Cut’ is officially shelved, but don’t worry, Lord of the Rings fans – the world of Middle-earth isn’t going anywhere! Warner Bros. Discovery just announced a new live-action film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, hitting theaters in December 2027. And get this – Andy Serkis, the master of Gollum himself, is directing and reprising the role! Thankfully, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens are all involved as producers, making sure the creative vision stays true to the source material. It sounds like we’re in good hands, and I’m already excited!

The announcement of the franchise’s comeback has already generated a lot of buzz among the original actors. Sir Ian McKellen recently hinted to fans that both Gandalf and Frodo might be in the new movie, suggesting it will be a prequel called The Hunt for Gollum set just before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Elijah Wood also got fans excited at a recent fan event, jokingly saying “a wizard is to be trusted” when asked if he would reprise his role as Frodo Baggins.

More content set in Middle-earth is coming soon, following the anime movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which was released in late 2024.

Despite receiving somewhat mixed reactions and not being a huge commercial success, the latest installment took the series in a new direction by delving into the backstory of Helm Hammerhand. Now, as 2026 begins, work is starting on The Hunt for Gollum in New Zealand. They’re currently looking for an actor to play a younger version of Aragorn.

It’s amazing to see the original Fellowship back together celebrating the 25th anniversary of the trilogy! Seeing Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd reunited for photos and interviews has been such a treat. And it’s not just the actors – Peter Jackson’s visual effects company, Wētā FX, is still pushing boundaries in filmmaking. Andy Serkis has been hard at work on his Animal Farm adaptation, but I’m so excited he’ll be returning to Middle-earth to direct soon – it’s happening this May!

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2026-01-13 21:15