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Stephen Colbert to co-write a new Lord of the Rings film titled Shadow of the Past

Just now3 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film titled Shadow of the Past, marking his transition from late-night hosting after The Late Show ended in May 2024. The project involves Colbert, his son Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens, with Peter Jackson as producer. Set 14 years after the original trilogy, the film follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they retrace early steps of their adventure, with Sam’s daughter Elanor uncovering a secret about the War of the Ring’s near-failure. The film is the second in Warner Bros.’ upcoming Lord of the Rings movies, following The Hunt for Gollum (2027), directed by Andy Serkis. Consensus across sources confirms Colbert’s Tolkien devotion, the film’s creative team, and its narrative premise, though details on Bombadil’s role and the film’s tone vary. Guardian articles critique the project’s focus on 'omitted' Tolkien material, while ABC emphasizes Colbert’s personal connection to the franchise without deeper analysis.

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Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film titled Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past
  • The film will be developed by Colbert, his son Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens (original trilogy screenwriter)
  • Peter Jackson is involved in the project as producer alongside Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
  • The film is set 14 years after the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, following Sam, Merry, and Pippin
  • Sam’s daughter Elanor discovers a secret explaining why the War of the Ring was nearly lost before it began
  • The film is the second upcoming Lord of the Rings movie after The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (released 17 December 2027)
  • The Hunt for Gollum will be directed by Andy Serkis and focus on Aragorn’s quest to capture Gollum
  • Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show on CBS ended on May 21, 2024
  • Colbert is an avid Tolkien fan and had a cameo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

GUARDIAN_1
  • The film will take inspiration from chapters 3 to 8 of The Fellowship of the Ring, which were omitted from Jackson’s films
  • Tom Bombadil is expected to be central to the plot, as he was in the original book chapters
  • The film’s focus is on chapter 8 (Fogs on the Barrow-downs), where Bombadil may rescue hobbits again
  • Criticism that Hollywood is monetizing 'disposable' Tolkien material from appendices and extended editions
  • Mention of Jackson’s original trilogy trimming 'texture' of Middle-earth for cinematic urgency
  • Colbert’s script follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin retracing early steps of their adventure with Sam’s daughter Elanor
GUARDIAN_3
  • Colbert reread chapters 3 to 8 of The Fellowship of the Ring and wanted to adapt them into a standalone story
  • Colbert called Peter Jackson to pitch the idea after years of contemplation, and Jackson approved
  • Jackson jokingly referenced Colbert’s free time post-The Late Show cancellation as fortunate
  • The film is described as aiming to be 'completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies'
ABC News
  • No mention of Tom Bombadil or specific chapters as central to the plot
  • No detailed criticism of Hollywood’s approach to Tolkien’s material
  • No reference to the film’s focus on chapter 8 or Bombadil’s role
  • No mention of Colbert’s personal motivation beyond being a 'noted devotee' of Tolkien

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • Guardian (Article 1) suggests the film will focus on Tom Bombadil as a central character, while ABC (Article 2) does not mention Bombadil at all
  • Guardian (Article 1) implies the film will be a loose adaptation of chapters 3-8, while Guardian (Article 3) states Colbert specifically wanted to adapt those chapters into a standalone story
  • Guardian (Article 1) criticizes the film’s potential as a 'very expensive shrug' due to Bombadil’s lack of plot relevance, while Guardian (Article 3) does not include this critique
  • Guardian (Article 1) mentions the film’s release date is unspecified, while Guardian (Article 3) and ABC (Article 2) do not provide a release date for Shadow of the Past
  • Guardian (Article 1) states the film will be directed by Andy Serkis, while ABC (Article 2) and Guardian (Article 3) do not mention a director for Shadow of the Past

Source Articles

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, ...

26 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

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