Stephen Colbert is set to join the writing team of a new film in the Lord of the Rings universe, tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.
The story will draw inspiration from a chapter in The Fellowship of the Ring, focusing on events taking place fourteen years after Frodo’s death. The narrative follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin embarking on a new journey, while Sam’s daughter Elanor uncovers a hidden secret tied to the past.
The film will also introduce fan-favorite character Tom Bombadil, who was previously absent from earlier adaptations. Colbert will collaborate with Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee, alongside the original creative team including Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh.
The project comes ahead of The Hunt for Gollum, which is scheduled for release in December 2027.
“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 y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day,” Colbert said in a video with Peter Jackson announcing the project.
