A 30-year-old honorary key finally finds its way to Elijah Wood. (Photo: City of Novato)

More than three decades after a young Elijah Wood came to Novato, California, to film the 1992 movie Radio Flyer, the actor has finally received a long-forgotten Key to the City that officials had prepared for him as a child.The unusual story was recently shared by the City of Novato, which revealed that the honorary key had been made for Wood in the early 1990s but was never actually handed to him. Instead, it remained at Novato City Hall for more than 30 years.The long-delayed presentation finally happened last month, thanks to an unexpected connection involving a city staff member’s son and Wood’s appearance at Fan Expo in San Francisco.

Elijah Wood receives long-lost Key to the City

According to the City of Novato, a staff member discovered that their son, Malcolm, had a scheduled meet-and-greet with Elijah Wood at Fan Expo in San Francisco. Seeing an opportunity to finally complete a decades-old civic gesture, Malcolm agreed to take the forgotten key with him.After spending hours waiting in line, Malcolm eventually met Wood and handed him the Key to the City.The actor was reportedly genuinely surprised and touched when he learned that Novato officials had prepared the key for him during his childhood and that the city had held onto it for more than three decades.The city described the episode as a story of history, luck and community, with a playful nod to Wood's most famous role.“In true Lord of the Rings fashion,” the city noted, the long-awaited journey eventually came to an end, although this time the “precious” was a key rather than the One Ring.

Elijah Wood filmed ‘Radio Flyer’ in Novato as a child

Wood was still a young actor when he came to Novato to shoot Radio Flyer, which was released in 1992. The film also starred Lorraine Bracco and featured Wood in one of his early prominent roles.More than 30 years later, the connection between Wood and the California city has resurfaced in an unexpectedly sentimental way.For Novato, the forgotten key has become more than an old piece of civic memorabilia. The city said the story reflects how local history can survive through the people who remember it and pass those stories on.

Elijah Wood teases potential return as Frodo

The timing of Wood receiving the long-delayed honor is particularly interesting for The Lord of the Rings fans, as the actor has also been discussing the possibility of returning to Middle-earth as Frodo Baggins.Wood has not officially confirmed his involvement in Andy Serkis' upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. However, he has made it clear that he remains enthusiastic about the possibility of returning to the role that made him an international star.Speaking to The Times U.K. earlier this year, Wood acknowledged that Ian McKellen had previously teased details about the project at a fan convention.“There is a good chance,” Wood said, while noting that he could not officially confirm anything until an announcement was made. He added that he was “thrilled with the prospect of another film.”Wood also admitted that there is some nervousness among fans whenever new stories set in Middle-earth are announced, given the affection audiences have for Peter Jackson's original trilogy.He described the prospect of the returning cast as having “a genuine feeling of getting the band back together.”

‘I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either’

Wood was also asked about McKellen's comments suggesting that he would not want anyone else to play Gandalf.The actor said he understood the sentiment and expressed a similar view about his own iconic character.“Well, no, and I totally get that. I certainly wouldn’t want anybody else to play Frodo either as long as I’m alive and able,” Wood said.He also said he could appreciate the excitement fans would feel seeing McKellen's Gandalf return, particularly because he remains a fan of the franchise himself.“I’m also a fan, and excited to see how it all comes together,” he added.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum release date

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is currently expected to arrive in late 2027. The Andy Serkis-directed project is set within the timeline of Tolkien's Middle-earth saga and is expected to explore events surrounding Gollum.Wood's potential return as Frodo remains unconfirmed, but his comments have kept speculation alive among fans of the original trilogy.Wood first stepped into the role of Frodo in 2001 with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the first installment of Peter Jackson's acclaimed trilogy. His performance as the hobbit tasked with carrying the One Ring to Mount Doom transformed him from a promising young actor into a global star.