Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan will portray Strider in the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, scheduled for release in December 2027. The character, known to readers as Aragorn, appears in a story set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.

The production, directed by Andy Serkis, will see Serkis reprise his role as Gollum. Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, and Lee Pace as the Elvenking of Mirkwood.

Dornan, who is from Holywood, County Down, discussed his career on a podcast this week. He said his priorities shifted after meeting his wife Millie Warner and starting a family. He suggested that major film opportunities came after he had already settled into domestic life.

The actor said he has kept the same group of friends since childhood. He believes their indifference to his celebrity status has kept him grounded. He noted that his friends share his passion for sport and that their interactions follow a pattern familiar in Irish culture, mixing teasing with deep loyalty.

Dornan rose to international prominence in 2015 with the release of Fifty Shades of Grey. His most recent major film appearances were in 2023, when he starred in the Netflix thriller Heart of Stone and the Agatha Christie adaptation A Haunting in Venice.