Jamie Dornan cast as Aragorn in next Lord of the Rings film

Jamie Dornan will replace Viggo Mortensen as Strider/Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Earlier this month, Andy Serkis, the film's star and director, revealed that Mortensen would not be returning for The Hunt for Gollum and that his character would be recast, prompting speculation about who would replace him.

The speculation ended during Warner Bros' CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, when the Fifty Shades of Grey actor was revealed as the new Strider, also known as Aragorn.

In addition to Dornan, The White Lotus actor Leo Woodall will play Halvard, a fellow member of the Northern Dúnedain Rangers. He will join Strider on his titular hunt.

Meanwhile, Kate Winslet, whose involvement in the film was already known, will play a character called Marigol.

The newcomers will join returning The Lord of the Rings actors, including Serkis as Gollum, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, as well as Lee Pace, who reprises his role as elf Thranduil, his character in The Hobbit trilogy.

The Hunt for Gollum is set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies and follows Aragorn and Gandalf searching for Gollum to learn more information about Bilbo Baggins' ring.

"Across two trilogies, a mark of a Middle-earth film, has always been the formidable array of talent brought to bear in every role," Serkis said in a statement. "The Hunt for Gollum continues in that tradition, and I am delighted to announce the return of two of Middle-earth's most beloved performers, alongside some exceptionally talented new additions to Tolkien's world."

Mortensen previously played Strider/Aragorn in all three of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films - The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King - between 2001 and 2003.

The Hunt for Gollum will be released in cinemas on 17 December 2027.