Stephen Colbert, long known for his deep admiration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, has officially been brought on to help develop a new installment in the Lord of the Rings film franchise.
On Tuesday evening (March 25), the Late Show host appeared alongside Peter Jackson to share the news, set against a backdrop filled with Tolkien-themed memorabilia.
“I’m pretty happy about it,” Colbert said, noting that his Late Show run is set to wrap up next month. “Shall I tell people what the story is? I will as much as I can. You know what the books mean to me and what your films mean to me. But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in [The Fellowship of the Ring] that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically ‘Three is Company’ through ‘Fog on the Barrow-downs.’ And I thought, oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story.”
He went on to explain that the vision is to create something “completely faithful” to Tolkien’s original work and Jackson’s film adaptations. That goal even led him to discuss the idea with his son Peter, who is a screenwriter.
“it took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile to give you a call. But about two years ago, I did,” Colbert added, revealing that the concept was later pitched to New Line and Warner Brothers, who both showed support for the project.
Naturally, Jackson and Colbert slipped in a playful jab at the much-discussed Late Show cancellation. Colbert joked that he once thought juggling both the show and writing a Lord of the Rings project wouldn’t be possible.
“But it turns out I’m gonna be free starting this summer. … Isn’t that a eucatastrophe right there?” he said, dropping a term Tolkien fans would instantly recognize.
“I will see you all in the Shire,” Colbert added.
During the announcement, Colbert also revealed he’ll be working alongside Philippa Boyens, calling her “brilliant.” According to Deadline, the film—possibly titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past—will be written by Colbert, Boyens, and Peter McGee.
Complex has reached out to Warner representatives for comment, and the story could be updated as more details emerge.
Shadow of the Past isn’t the only Lord of the Rings project in development. Back in 2024, Warner and New Line confirmed that The Hunt for Gollum, directed by and starring Andy Serkis, was also in the works. During Tuesday’s announcement, Peter Jackson shared a brief update, noting that the film is currently slated for a 2027 theatrical release.
