As anticipation builds for the next chapter in the Lord of the Rings saga, director Andy Serkis is pushing back against calls for diversity casting, saying it would not fit the story’s setting or source material.

Serkis, who famously portrayed Gollum in Peter Jackson’s acclaimed film trilogy, recently told the BBC that The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will prioritize faithfulness to J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision over what he described as “politically correct” casting.

Speaking about the fictional homeland of the Hobbits, Serkis said Tolkien’s world was deeply influenced by Norse mythology and should be portrayed accordingly.

“The Shire feels very, very much like a very, a very White, you know…” Serkis said before noting that its inhabitants “are not very concerned about what goes on beyond the borders of The Shire.”

The comments come after years of debate over diversity in Middle-earth. Critics of Peter Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings trilogy argued that the films featured overwhelmingly White casts and relied on racial symbolism that associated heroes with lighter skin while depicting many villains with darker features.

Serkis acknowledged those criticisms but said his upcoming film will not cast actors simply to satisfy diversity expectations.

“We don’t think we will be doing a politically correct just-casting-for-the-sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version of the film,” he said. “So, it’s only where relevant basically.”

At the same time, Serkis has made clear he is not opposed to diversity in Hollywood. In fact, he has previously spoken positively about his experience working on Marvel’s Black Panther, where he was one of the few White actors on set.

Recalling a conversation with director Ryan Coogler, Serkis shared that Coogler told him and fellow actor Martin Freeman it was the first scene he had directed featuring two White actors.

“That’s an incredible perspective to find yourself in,” Serkis said in a 2018 interview.

The discussion surrounding diversity in Tolkien’s world intensified with Amazon’s The Rings of Power, which introduced some of the franchise’s first Black Elves and Dwarves. While many welcomed the broader representation, others criticized the series for prioritizing modern cultural debates over Tolkien’s original vision.

Billionaire Elon Musk was among those critics, writing on X in 2022, “Tolkien is turning in his grave.”

In response to the backlash at the time, several actors from the original Lord of the Rings films posted a photo wearing shirts featuring elf ears in different skin tones alongside the message, “You Are All Welcome Here.”

For many Christian readers, Tolkien’s work carries significance beyond fantasy entertainment. A devout Roman Catholic, Tolkien infused his stories with themes of sacrifice, humility, hope, redemption and the triumph of good over evil. Although he resisted labeling The Lord of the Rings as an allegory, he acknowledged that his Christian faith profoundly shaped the world he created.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is scheduled to arrive in theaters in December 2027. Set between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, the film is expected to explore an untold chapter in Gollum’s story while remaining closely tied to Tolkien’s original Middle-earth.