Kate Winslet is set to return to New Zealand shores for a new role in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is set to start production this year.

Andy Serkis is set to reprise his role as Gollum and direct the movie, and Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood are set to return too. 

Entertainment journalist and film reviewer Dominic Corry says there's clear demand for new Lord of the Rings content among film fans.

"It still feels rather under-exploited, if that's a word we can use. And also, I still think there's a huge amount of goodwill on the audience's side for this franchise." 

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