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

1 hours ago2 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film called Shadow of the Past after leaving his late-night talk show on CBS. The project, developed with his son Peter McGee and Philippa Boyens (who co-wrote the original trilogy), is the second of two upcoming films in the franchise, following The Hunt for Gollum in 2027. Peter Jackson is producing the film, and Colbert’s involvement stems from his lifelong admiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, particularly the early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring that weren’t fully explored in the first movie. Both sources confirm the film’s title, Colbert’s role, and the cancellation of The Late Show in May 2024, but The Guardian adds narrative details about the plot and political context around Colbert’s departure. While ABC focuses on the announcement and production team, The Guardian elaborates on Colbert’s creative inspiration and the film’s setting, highlighting differences in depth and framing.

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Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Stephen Colbert will co-write a new Lord of the Rings film titled 'Shadow of the Past'
  • The film will be developed alongside Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee (Colbert’s son)
  • Peter Jackson is involved in producing the film and announced the project via social media
  • The film is the second of two upcoming Lord of the Rings movies in development at Warner Bros Discovery/New Line Cinema
  • The first film, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,' is set for release on December 17, 2027
  • Colbert’s The Late Show on CBS aired its final episode on May 21, 2024
  • The original Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed over $2.9 billion worldwide
  • Colbert is a lifelong J.R.R. Tolkien fan and appeared in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

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
  • CBS announced cancellation of The Late Show in July 2023, not July 2024
  • Reuters (via ABC) attributes the announcement to Mario Anzuoni, while AP attributes it to Jae C Hong
  • The article notes Colbert’s 11-year run on The Late Show began in 2015
  • The original trilogy’s third installment, The Return of the King, won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003
The Guardian
  • The film is set 14 years after Frodo’s passing and follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin retracing their journey
  • Sam’s daughter Elanor discovers a secret about the War of the Ring nearly being lost before it began
  • Colbert referenced chapters 3–8 of The Fellowship of the Ring, which were not developed in the first film
  • The Guardian mentions Colbert’s cameo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug alongside his wife and children
  • The article highlights CBS’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump as context for The Late Show’s cancellation
  • Jackson’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films combined grossed $5.9 billion
  • Colbert joked about finding time to adapt the film after The Late Show’s cancellation, referencing political criticism

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • ABC does not mention the film’s plot details about Sam’s daughter Elanor or the 14-year time jump, while The Guardian provides these specifics
  • ABC does not reference the $16 million CBS settlement with Donald Trump or the political context around The Late Show’s cancellation, which The Guardian includes
  • The Guardian states Colbert’s outline was discussed with Jackson about two years ago, while ABC does not specify a timeline for the initial pitch
  • ABC attributes the announcement to Reuters (Mario Anzuoni) and AP (Jae C Hong), while The Guardian only cites Deadline for the film’s title and credits
  • The Guardian mentions Fran Walsh as a producer alongside Jackson and Boyens, but ABC does not list her

Source Articles

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....

11 hours ago
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 ...

Yesterday