Sir Peter Jackson reveals Joker inspiration for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
Sir Peter Jackson has explained how the 2019 movie Joker was a major influence on the upcoming flick The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Sir Peter Jackson has revealed that Todd Phillips' Joker served as inspiration for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
The 64-year-old filmmaker serves as a producer on the latest movie in the epic fantasy franchise and revealed that the 2019 origin story for Batman's arch-enemy helped provide ideas for the upcoming flick, in which Andy Serkis will reprise his role as the titular character.
Jackson told IndieWire: "We were thinking about the original Joker film, the one with Joaquin Phoenix. The way that explored the Joker's psychology while it was telling a story.
"We've got the story that's in the appendices, and we'll tell that story, but we'll tell it from an internal Gollum perspective. You're taking written things by (J.R.R.) Tolkien and filming them for a certain POV, and that means you have to get inside his head.
"I've got no particular desire to get inside Gollum's head. Andy Serkis can do that himself."
Jackson explained that The Hunt for Gollum – which is slated for release in December 2027 - originates from notes at the end of one of Tolkien's novels.
The Beatles: Get Back helmer said: "We're legally allowed to adapt anything from The Lord of the Rings books.
"Now, The Lord of the Rings has got these big appendices at the end. Fifty or 60 pages of Tolkien's notes, background on characters and stuff that's not in the actual novel but is tacked on at the end.
"Little side stories, embellishments, enlargements – and part of The Hunt for Gollum is described in that. Gollum's childhood and how he became what he was. Him trying to get to the Shire, and the Rangers tracking him down. He ends up being captured and taken to Mordor – it's all in the appendices."
Jackson helmed the acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy in the early 2000s but is happy to leave responsibility behind the camera on this movie to Serkis – who has helmed pictures such as Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Animal Farm.
The director said: "I thought the film would be more interesting if Andy did it. I honestly, truly believe that if it's a film about Gollum's addiction and internal struggles, Andy would make a much more interesting film than me.
"If I thought I'd do a better film, I'd do it. But I thought, there's a guy that's going to make a really interesting film here and it's not me."
Jackson received the prestigious Palme d'Or prize at the start of the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week and he lamented the significant changes to the film industry since he helmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
He explained: "If you go back 20 years, there were maybe seven studios financing films, plus a lot of wealthy independents.
"If those studios made 15 films a year, you had more than 100 films being made, plus another 50 independent films. Now you're going to end up with maybe three studios. Even if they each make 20 films a year, that's still only 60 films.
"Technically, there are 60 filmmakers who would have been able to make a film 20 years ago who now aren't going to get that opportunity. How can that be a good thing?"
