Die-hard J.R.R. Tolkien fan and The Late Show host Stephen Colbert has a dream project lined up as he prepares to step down from late-night television: co-writing a brand-new Lord of the Rings film.
Announced on March 25, 2026, by director Peter Jackson in a special video tied to Tolkien Reading Day, the project is tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. Colbert is teaming up with his son Peter McGee (also referred to as Peter in some reports) and acclaimed screenwriter Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote the original Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The film draws inspiration from early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring (specifically chapters III through VIII, including “Three is Company” and “Fog on the Barrow-Downs”) that were not featured in the 2001–2003 blockbuster movies. However, it is set 14 years after the events of The Return of the King, functioning more as a sequel than a direct adaptation.
In the story, beloved hobbits Sam, Merry, and Pippin retrace the first steps of their epic journey. Sam’s daughter, Elanor, also embarks on her own quest after making a significant discovery.
Colbert and his son had been quietly developing the idea for years before sharing it with Jackson, who reacted positively. The project is being produced by Jackson’s WingNut Films in association with Colbert’s Spartina production company, under Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.
This marks the second major Lord of the Rings theatrical project in development, following Andy Serkis’ upcoming The Hunt for Gollum, which Serkis is also directing and starring in as Gollum. No cast details have been revealed yet for Shadow of the Past, though fans are already speculating whether Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan could reprise their roles as Sam, Pippin, and Merry.
The announcement comes during the 25th-anniversary celebrations of The Fellowship of the Ring, with the full trilogy recently returning to theaters. The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past currently has no release date.
This exciting development offers longtime fans fresh adventures in Middle-earth while honoring the spirit of Tolkien’s original work.
