New Aragorn Unveiled Amid Fan Outrage

On Tuesday, Warner Bros. announced at CinemaCon who will be replacing Viggo Mortensen as Strider (aka Aragorn) in the highly-anticipated prequel, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, hitting theaters December 17, 2027.

- who had a similar look in the series New Worlds - was selected to portray the 80-something-year-old chief of the Northern Dúnedain Rangers, who's eventually crowned King Elessar Telcontar.

Fans might not that the last time the three-time Oscar nominee played the part of Strider was 23 years ago and he's now 67.

At 43, the hunky Irishman is the exact same age Mortensen was when he replaced Stuart Townsend as the expert tracker and warrior in The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001.

The Danish-American silver fox had been open to reprising the role of Strider, telling British GQ in 2024: 'I like playing that character. I learned a lot playing the character. I enjoyed it a lot.

'I would only do it if I was right for it in terms of, you know, the age I am now and so forth. I would only do it if I was right for the character. It would be silly to do it otherwise.'

Dornan is best known for his roles in Belfast (2021), Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021), the Fifty Shades trilogy (2015–2018), The Fall (2013–2016), Once Upon a Time (2011–2013) and Marie Antoinette (2006).

Leo Woodall, who was rumored to takeover Aragorn, will actually be playing Dúnedain ranger Halvard, who joins Strider and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) on their mission to capture Gollum in a tale set between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.

Andy Serkis will direct and reprise his role as tragic ring bearer Gollum/Sméagol while the youthful Elijah Wood returns as hobbit Frodo Baggins, Lee Pace is back as elven King Thranduil and Kate Winslet plays the mysterious Marigol.