Viggo Mortensen on Avoiding Franchises Post ‘LOTR’: “Not Well-Written”

Viggo Mortensen has opened up on why he hasn’t been part of another major Hollywood franchise since his iconic role in the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The actor, known for portraying Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s epic films from 2001 to 2003, discussed his decision-making process in a recent interview with Vanity Fair. He emphasized that the roles he chooses must have compelling stories and be well-written, hinting that most franchise films don’t meet his criteria.

“I don’t really look for or avoid any kind of genre or any size budget. I just look for interesting stories,” Mortensen explained. “It doesn’t matter to me what the genre is or what the budget is or who’s making them. I would never do a movie just because so-and-so is directing it. It has to be about the story. And if I think I’m right for the character, that always comes first.”

He added, “That goes for franchises. If somebody came to me with X movie, the third part or the ninth part, and I thought it was a great character and I wanted to play that character and I thought I had something to contribute, I’d do it. I’m not against it. But they’re not usually that good. I mean, to me, they’re not usually that well-written. They’re kind of predictable.”

Despite Mortensen’s prominence from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he recently admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s unsure whether he will reprise his role for Peter Jackson’s upcoming movie, set for a 2026 release.

“I haven’t read a script. So I don’t know,” the Captain Fantastic actor said regarding the upcoming Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. “The script is the most important thing to me unless I’m broke, I have no money and I’m lucky to get any job. So it depends.”

It’s clear that Mortensen holds the importance of a well-crafted script in high regard and doesn’t want to compromise on that, regardless of the potential splash a franchise role might make. As some franchise films often lean heavily on brand recognition over plot intricacies, it’s understandable why he might remain cautious before diving into another big project of that nature.

Source: Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter