Luke Evans Clarifies His Return for the Hunt for Gollum

WHO:

Coming Soon - Lawrence Makoare, who played two villains in *The Lord of the Rings* original trilogy, announced his return to Middle-earth.

Coming Soon - Luke Evans, a *Lord of the Rings* actor, discussed the possible return of his character, Bard the Bowman.

Screen Rant - Luke Evans discussed whether Bard would return in *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum*.

Coming Soon - Andy Serkis is associated with the upcoming fantasy film *The Hunt for Gollum*.

WHAT:

Coming Soon - Makoare indicated in an Instagram post that he would return for *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum*.

Coming Soon - Makoare mentioned the film while promoting his friend Sala Baker’s appearance at Auckland’s Armageddon Expo; Baker played Sauron.

Coming Soon - Evans confirmed that Bard the Bowman might not return in *The Hunt for Gollum*.

Screen Rant - Evans clarified the status of Bard’s return in the film.

WHEN:

Screen Rant - The article described the film’s release as just over a year away.

WHY:

Coming Soon - The casting update came from Evans’s comments about his role in an interview with *Variety*.

HOW:

Coming Soon - Evans was asked about his role in *The Hunt for Gollum* during an interview with *Variety*.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 18:18 UTC)

Two familiar faces from Middle-earth have offered different clues about returning for *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum*. Lawrence Makoare, who played two villains in the original trilogy, indicated in an Instagram post that he would appear in the upcoming film. He mentioned the project while promoting his friend Sala Baker’s appearance at Auckland’s Armageddon Expo; Baker portrayed Sauron. Meanwhile, Luke Evans says Bard the Bowman might not return. Asked about his role in an interview with *Variety*, Evans discussed the possibility of reprising the character. Bard was introduced in *The Hobbit* films, but Evans’s comments leave his involvement in *The Hunt for Gollum* uncertain. Andy Serkis is also associated with the fantasy film, which is described as just over a year away from release.

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(UPDATED October 23, 2026 17:26 UTC)

Luke Evans says Bard the Bowman may not return in *The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum*, tempering hopes of seeing the character again. Evans discussed the possibility during an interview with *Variety*, where he was asked about his role in the upcoming fantasy film. He clarified the status of Bard’s potential appearance but did not confirm that the character would be part of the cast. The film is associated with Andy Serkis, though the details of Evans’s comments leave Bard’s return uncertain. The movie’s release is described as just over a year away, making the casting question an early point of interest for fans. Evans is known for playing Bard in *The Hobbit* films, where the archer helped defend Lake-town from the dragon Smaug. Fans will have to wait for further confirmation about whether he appears in the new story.