YouTube Restores Fan-Made HUNT FOR GOLLUM Movie
By Movieguide® Contributor
Warner Bros. is allowing a fan-made version of the upcoming movie THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM to remain on YouTube.
The studio recently announced plans for the movie. Movieguide® reported:
Andy Serkis is set to direct and star in an upcoming LORD OF THE RINGS movie, tentatively titled LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM.
“For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the LORD OF THE RINGS film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter [Jackson], Fran [Walsh] and Philippa [Boyens] have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision,” Warner Bros. Motion Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said in a joint statement.
Jackson is set to produce the movie, while Walsh and Boyens will write the screenplay and serve as producers.
However, a HUNT FOR GOLLUM movie created by Chris Bouchard has been on YouTube since 2009.
ComicBookMovie.com reported that the fan-made movie is “set during the opening act of THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, the short elaborates on Aragorn’s hunt for Gollum and is presumably the same story Warner Bros.’ upcoming movie will tell.”
Shortly after the announcement of the official HUNT FOR GOLLUM movie, Bouchard’s version was taken down, with YouTube reporting that Warner had filed a copyright claim. Many fans expressed their disappointment with this decision, and just a few days later, the video was put back on YouTube.
A studio source told The Hollywood Reporter that the video was taken down “in error.”
“It appears the fan movement today (many articles) have helped get the movie reinstated on YouTube,” Adrian Webster, who played Aragorn in THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM fan film, told IGN. “It’s nice to know there’s some love out there for what we made.”
Bouchard also commented on the issue, saying, “We’re happy to see that the film has been reinstated already. Perhaps it was an automated copyright block due to the same title. It’s not quite clear. Anyway, we’re happy it’s back online again just now.”
