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Fans of The Lord of the Rings have erupted in outrage after it was announced that an iconic character will be recast in an upcoming film.
Viggo Mortensen, 67, will not reprise Aragorn in the original trilogy director Peter Jackson’s saga, with Andy Serkis confirming the recasting for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
While conversing with Screen Rant on Thursday, the Animal Farm director shared, “I don't know what's out there at the moment, but I know there's a lot of speculation.”
Serkis went on to say, “'Let's just say we are recasting the role, and we are on the way to finding someone.”
Leo Woodall is reportedly set to take over the role of Aragorn from Mortensen.
Notably, Elijah Wood, returning as Frodo in the prequel, appeared to validate Woodall’s casting in a recent Happy Sad Confused podcast interview.
Fans voiced outrage online, with some arguing the movie won’t succeed without Mortensen and others warning of a strong backlash.
One fan tweeted a GIF of Leonardo DiCaprio clapping in The Wolf of Wall Street and wrote: 'Very good, it's going to suck!'
Another disappointed LOTR fan suggested Serkis and the team behind the prequel were not 'respecting the legacy.'
To note, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will explore the events set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films.
