← Back to Stories

Stephen Colbert co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film after leaving The Late Show

1 hours ago3 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Stephen Colbert is developing a new Lord of the Rings film titled Shadow of the Past after leaving his late-night show on CBS. The project, announced by Peter Jackson in April 2024, will follow Sam, Merry, and Pippin retracing early parts of their original journey while Sam’s daughter Elanor uncovers a hidden secret about the War of the Ring’s near-failure. Colbert, a longtime Tolkien fan, collaborated with his son Peter McGee and Philippa Boyens to adapt material from chapters 3–8 of The Fellowship of the Ring, which were omitted from Jackson’s original films. The film is the second in a planned duo of new LOTR movies, following The Hunt for Gollum (2027), and marks Colbert’s transition from television to filmmaking. While ABC and Guardian 2 confirm the project as legitimate, Guardian 1 raises skepticism about its feasibility, questioning whether it will faithfully expand Tolkien’s lore or exploit lesser-known elements for commercial gain. The announcement coincides with Colbert’s departure from The Late Show, with Guardian 2 linking the show’s cancellation to his public criticism of CBS’s corporate decisions.

✓ Verified by 2+ sources

Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings movie titled *Shadow of the Past* with his son Peter McGee and Philippa Boyens
  • The film is set 14 years after the events of *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy and follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin retracing early steps of their journey
  • Sam’s daughter Elanor discovers a secret explaining why the War of the Ring nearly failed before it began
  • Peter Jackson announced Colbert’s involvement in a video released on social media on April 2024
  • Colbert’s *The Late Show* on CBS aired its final episode on May 21, 2024, after cancellation in July 2023
  • The film is the second of two upcoming Lord of the Rings movies from Warner Bros Discovery and New Line Cinema, following *The Hunt for Gollum* (released December 17, 2027)
  • Colbert is an avid Tolkien fan and previously appeared in *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013) alongside his family
  • The original *Lord of the Rings* trilogy grossed over $2.9 billion worldwide, with *The Return of the King* winning Best Picture at the Oscars

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

ABC News
  • Colbert’s involvement was revealed by producer Peter Jackson in a press release and Reuters report
  • The article mentions Colbert’s 11-year run on *The Late Show* and CBS’s cancellation announcement in July 2023
  • The article highlights Colbert’s quote: ‘I’m pretty happy about it’ to Jackson in the video announcement
  • The article notes the film’s working title is *Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past* according to a press release
GUARDIAN_1
  • The article questions whether the film is an April Fools’ joke due to the timing of the announcement
  • Speculates the film may center on Tom Bombadil or chapters 3–8 of *The Fellowship of the Ring* (not included in Jackson’s films)
  • Critiques the film’s potential to monetize ‘disposable’ Tolkien material, calling it ‘hollowing out’ Middle-earth
  • Mentions Amazon’s *The Rings of Power* TV show and its divisive portrayal of Tom Bombadil
  • States the film’s focus may be on chapter 8 (*Fogs on the Barrow-downs*) and a ‘lost masterplan’ for the War of the Ring
GUARDIAN_2
  • Includes Colbert’s direct quote about rereading chapters 3–8 of *The Fellowship of the Ring* and wanting to adapt them into a standalone story
  • Describes Colbert’s outline process with his son Peter McGee and his eventual pitch to Jackson
  • Notes Jackson’s joke about Colbert needing time to adapt the film amid *The Late Show* cancellation controversy
  • Mentions Colbert’s political criticism of CBS/Paramount’s $16 million Trump settlement as a factor in the show’s cancellation
  • Clarifies the film’s timeline: 14 years after *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy, with Sam’s daughter Elanor as a key character

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • ABC states the film’s working title is *Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past* (press release), while Guardian 1 implies the title is still tentative or unconfirmed
  • Guardian 1 suggests the film may focus on Tom Bombadil as a central character, but Guardian 2 does not explicitly confirm this focus beyond speculation
  • Guardian 1 questions whether the film is a legitimate project or an April Fools’ joke, while ABC and Guardian 2 treat it as a confirmed announcement
  • ABC does not mention the political context of Colbert’s show cancellation, while Guardian 2 explicitly ties it to Colbert’s criticism of CBS/Paramount’s Trump settlement
  • Guardian 1 implies the film may adapt chapters 3–8 directly, while Guardian 2 frames it as taking those chapters as ‘inspiration’ rather than a strict adaptation

Source Articles

GUARDIAN

Stephen Colbert to write new Lord of the Rings film after end of the Late Show

Comedian and avid Tolkien fan to write the Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, a new Peter Jackson-produced film based on unadapted chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring Stephen Colbert has lined ...

25 March 2026
ABC

Talk show host Stephen Colbert to co-write new Lord of the Rings movie

Talk show host Stephen Colbert, famous devotee to JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth, is co-writing a Lord of the Rings movie with his son....

25 March 2026
GUARDIAN

Will Stephen Colbert’s Lord of the Rings film be Tom Bombadil’s time to shine?

The US talkshow host’s script will focus on chapters three to eight of Tolkien’s first volume – a section Hollywood originally thought disposable but is now circling back to monetise As I write this, ...

Yesterday