The Hunt for Gollum
| The Hunt for Gollum | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Chris Bouchard |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Narrated by | Patrick O'Connor |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Lewis Albrow |
| Music by |
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Production companies | Rickety Shack Films Independent Online Cinema |
| Distributed by | Independent Online Cinema |
Release date |
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Running time | 38 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | less than £3,000 (less than US$5,000) |
The Hunt for Gollum is a 2009 British fantasy fan film directed, co-written, co-produced, and co-scored by Chris Bouchard. Based on the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954–55 book The Lord of the Rings, the film is set in Middle-earth, when the wizard Gandalf the Grey fears that Gollum may reveal information about the One Ring to Sauron. Gandalf sends the ranger Aragorn on a quest to find Gollum.
Filming took place in North Wales, Epping Forest, and Hampstead Heath. The film was shot in high definition video, with a budget of £3,000 (equivalent to £5,083 in 2023 or US$5,000, equivalent to $7,328 in 2024). The production is completely unofficial and unauthorized, though Bouchard said he had "reached an understanding" with Tolkien Enterprises in 2009.
The Hunt for Gollum debuted at the Sci-Fi-London film festival and on the Internet, free to view, on 3 May 2009. By 20 October 2009, it had been viewed by 5 million people. Viewings had risen to over 16 million by 2020.