Update: The fan film The Hunt for Gollum has been reinstated after a DCMA claim by Warner Bros. A studio rep stated that the takedown was issued in error. The creator of the fan film issued this statement in the comments of the short film:

We’re back, thanks to WB for being so understanding to us as fans and artists. We’re very positive and excited for what the new movie will be at fan film THFG HQ. Meanwhile glad people can watch this our low-budget effort at the story. 🙂

Original story follows.

Yesterday, we reported that Warner Bros have unveiled their next live-action Lord of the Rings film, tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will be directed by and star Andy Serkis. But those who are well-versed in the world of fan fiction will no doubt be familiar with that name, as it’s the title of a 2009 fan film. The film had been living comfortably on YouTube since then but with the reveal of the new movie, Warner Bros has issued a copyright strike against the fan-film.

Made with a budget of 3000 pounds in 2009, The Hunt for Gollum was pretty impressive for a fan film. The 39-minute short film chronicled Aragorn’s search for the creature Gollum after Gandalf leaves Frodo in the shire in search of answers about the One Ring. Gandalf realizes that the secret of the ring may not be so secret, as Gollum knows the name Baggins and tasks Aragorn with finding the creature to keep him out of the hands of the enemy.

Being a fan film, the project is unauthorized but director Chris Bouchard said he came to an understanding with Tolkien Enterprises. Since its debut online, it has amassed over thirteen million views and was entirely non-profit due to not having official rights to the IP. But due to the new Warner film sharing the same title and likely the same plot, they elected to wipe all traces of the film online to protect their own brand. I understand this from a legal point of view, but considering fans already seem a bit iffy about this movie even being made, going after the harmless fan film that’s been part of the community for fifteen years only serves to make the fandom even more uncertain about the upcoming new movie. Here’s hoping that the fan-film can be restored, either in its original form or under a new name.