Jamie Dornan cast as Aragorn in new Lord of the Rings film

Jamie Dornan will portray Aragorn in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

The 44-year-old actor steps into the role previously played by Viggo Mortensen in director Peter Jackson’s trilogy. Dornan acknowledged the weight of following his predecessor in a recent interview with L’Officiel Italia.

“There’s pressure when you try to follow in those footsteps,” Dornan said, with his comments translated from Italian. “I’ve been asked to take on a super iconic role, and I’ll do my absolute best. But for me, Aragorn will always be Viggo, and only Viggo.”

Dornan described Mortensen’s performance as one of his all-time favorites. He stated that he feels honored to attempt to capture a portion of the energy the older actor brought to the character. The new film is set in the timeline between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies, necessitating a younger actor for the part.

Mortensen, who is 68, is not returning to the role. Dornan noted that he is not trying to outperform his predecessor. “There isn’t a single part of me that’s trying to do it better than he did,” he said.

Leo Woodall is also joining the cast as the Dúnedain ranger Halvard. Woodall expressed his admiration for Dornan’s work on the new project. “I can honestly say that, for me, Aragorn is now Jamie Dornan,” Woodall said.

Andy Serkis is directing The Hunt for Gollum and will star as both Gollum and Sméagol. Several original cast members are returning to their roles. Ian McKellen will again play Gandalf the Grey, Elijah Wood will reprise his role as Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace will return as Thranduil. New additions to the franchise include Kate Winslet and Anya Taylor-Joy, who play the characters Marigol and Seren. The film is scheduled for release on Dec. 17, 2027.