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

2 hours ago3 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Stephen Colbert is developing a new Lord of the Rings film titled Shadow of the Past, co-written with his son Peter McGee and Philippa Boyens, set 14 years after the original trilogy. The project follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they retrace their journey, with Sam’s daughter Elanor uncovering a hidden secret about the War of the Ring’s near-failure. Peter Jackson announced the collaboration via social media, positioning it as Colbert’s next major creative venture after his 11-year run on The Late Show, which ended in May 2024 following CBS’s cancellation. The film is the second in Warner Bros.’ expanded Lord of the Rings franchise, following The Hunt for Gollum (2027), and draws inspiration from chapters 3 to 8 of The Fellowship of the Ring, which Jackson’s original films omitted. While ABC and Guardian 1 focus on the factual announcement and Colbert’s Tolkien devotion, Guardian 2 speculates about the film’s potential focus on Tom Bombadil, critiquing the franchise’s tendency to monetize overlooked book elements. The Guardian also highlights the political backdrop of Colbert’s show cancellation, contrasting with ABC’s neutral framing. Despite minor inconsistencies in production credits and speculative details, all sources agree on the core project and its timeline.

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Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film 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, following Sam, Merry, and Pippin
  • Sam’s daughter, Elanor, discovers a 'long-buried secret that explains why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began'
  • Peter Jackson announced Colbert’s involvement in a video released on social media on April 2, 2024
  • The film is the second of two upcoming Lord of the Rings movies in development at Warner Bros Discovery and New Line Cinema, following 'The Hunt for Gollum' (released December 17, 2027)
  • Colbert’s The Late Show on CBS aired its last episode on May 21, 2024, after cancellation in July 2023
  • Colbert is a lifelong J.R.R. Tolkien fan and appeared in Peter Jackson’s 2013 film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
  • The original Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed over US$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
  • The film’s working title is explicitly mentioned as 'Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past' in the press release
  • Philippa Boyens is described as 'one of the original trilogy's screenwriters'
  • CBS announced cancellation of The Late Show in July 2023, with Colbert’s final episode on May 21, 2024
  • The article references Reuters and AP sources for Colbert’s involvement and the film’s development
GUARDIAN_1
  • Colbert’s script is inspired by chapters 3 to 8 of The Fellowship of the Ring, which were not included in Jackson’s films
  • Colbert mentions rereading chapters 3 to 8 and wanting to adapt them into a standalone story
  • The article includes Colbert’s quote: 'I thought, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story'
  • The Guardian notes the political context of CBS’s cancellation, linking it to Colbert’s criticism of Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump
  • Jackson’s quote: 'Isn’t that fortunate?' in response to Colbert’s freedom after The Late Show’s cancellation
  • The film is produced by Jackson, Boyens, and Fran Walsh (not mentioned in ABC)
GUARDIAN_2
  • The article humorously questions the legitimacy of the announcement as April Fools’ Day approaches
  • The Guardian speculates that the film will focus on Tom Bombadil as the 'long-buried secret' source
  • The article references the extended editions and the loss of elements like Old Man Willow and Barrow-wights from Jackson’s films
  • The article includes a detailed analysis of Tolkien’s chapters 3 to 8, noting their slow pacing and lack of urgency
  • The Guardian mentions Amazon’s Rings of Power TV show and its portrayal of Tom Bombadil as divisive
  • The article suggests the film may center on chapter 8, 'Fogs on the Barrow-downs,' where Bombadil rescues hobbits

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • ABC does not mention the political context of CBS’s cancellation of The Late Show, while Guardian 1 explicitly ties it to Colbert’s criticism of Paramount’s Trump settlement
  • Guardian 2 humorously questions the legitimacy of the announcement as an April Fools’ prank, while ABC and Guardian 1 treat it as a genuine development
  • Guardian 2 suggests the film’s secret may involve Tom Bombadil, while ABC and Guardian 1 do not speculate on this detail
  • ABC does not mention the specific chapters (3 to 8) that inspired Colbert’s script, which Guardian 1 and Guardian 2 emphasize as the source material
  • Guardian 1 states the film is produced by Jackson, Boyens, and Fran Walsh, while ABC only mentions Boyens and does not name Walsh

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
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