- Primary Subject: The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past
- Key Update: Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new film with Peter Jackson, focusing on Sam, Merry, and Pippin years after the original trilogy.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 25, 2026
- Quick Answer: Stephen Colbert and Peter Jackson are developing a new film, Shadow of the Past, covering book chapters omitted from the original trilogy set years later.
After wrapping up his run as host of The Late Show in May, Stephen Colbert is back at work – this time behind the scenes as a co-writer of a new The Lord of the Rings movie set after Frodo’s death.
Tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, the project was announced by Peter Jackson in celebration of Tolkien Reading Day, with the news later shared by Warner Bros. and other official franchise accounts. So, what does this new film have in store for fans?
Peter Jackson Announced a New The Lord of the Rings Movie
In a post on X, Warner Bros. shared a video of Peter Jackson providing an update on another upcoming The Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum.
While discussing the progress of the Andy Serkis-led project, Jackson said, “It’s looking amazing. The script is coming together really well, and I think it’s going to be a really good film.”
He then surprised fans by bringing Stephen Colbert into the conversation, announcing their collaboration on a brand-new The Lord of the Rings movie.
From there, the two discussed Shadow of the Past, with Colbert explaining the inspiration behind the story and the parts of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work it draws from.
“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 that you never developed into the first movie,” Colbert said. “I thought, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger narrative. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies?”
Colbert went on to reveal that he had outlined the story with his son, Peter Colbert, who is also a screenwriter.
“It took me a few years to work up the courage to give you a call, but about two years ago I did. You liked it enough to talk to me about it … and I could not be happier that [Warner Bros.] loved it,” he added.
As Jackson joked that Colbert would need to make time to adapt the film, Colbert replied that he would be “free starting this summer,” referencing the upcoming end of The Late Show, which is set to conclude in May 2026.
What is The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past About?
According to Stephen Colbert, Shadow of the Past will explore leftover chapters from The Lord of the Rings books, specifically chapters three to eight.
Set 14 years after Frodo’s departure, the story follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they retrace the steps of their first adventure – though one of their members is now gone.
The film will also introduce Sam’s daughter, Eleanor, who becomes central to the story as she “has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was nearly lost before it even began.”
While Frodo’s death hasn’t been confirmed, Jackson and Colbert likely mean the story takes place after Frodo sails to the Undying Lands, since his death isn’t specified in the books.
As the film was only recently announced, production and casting details have not yet been revealed. Fans can hope for more updates soon.
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