Stephen Colbert will be a co-writer on the next Lord of the Rings film from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, continuing the story after The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
The upcoming film, currently called The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, will cover parts of The Fellowship of the Ring that weren’t shown in Peter Jackson’s original films. This includes the stories of the Barrow-downs and the character Tom Bombadil.
Peter Jackson and Stephen Colbert shared the news in a video on social media. You can watch it here:
Stephen Colbert taking on Lord of the Rings
Stephen Colbert is co-writing the movie alongside Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee. They’re working with the team that made the successful Lord of the Rings films – Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Boyens.
Stephen Colbert is a well-known Tolkien enthusiast, making this project a perfect opportunity for him, particularly as his time hosting The Late Show is coming to an end in May.
The film will explore the story of the Hobbits getting lost in a ghostly mist and trapped by an ancient spirit, a scene taken from the “Fog on the Barrow-downs” section of The Fellowship of the Ring.
This development also makes it possible to include Tom Bombadil, a character that fans have long hoped to see in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films.
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What Shadow of the Past is about
Shadow of the Past is set 14 years after Frodo’s passing.
The new story centers on Sam, Merry, and Pippin revisiting the beginning of their famous journey. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, discovers a hidden truth about a near-disaster that almost caused the War of the Ring to fail before it even started.
The Hunt for Gollum comes first
Before Shadow of the Past comes out in cinemas, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be released first.
Andy Serkis will direct the new movie and reprise his role as Gollum. The film is scheduled for release on December 17, 2027. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Arty Papageorgiou, and Phoebe Gittins are writing the screenplay. Ian McKellen will return as Gandalf, and Elijah Wood is expected to reprise his role as Frodo. Kate Winslet will also be starring in the movie.
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2026-03-25 08:31