The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past – new film revealed by Peter Jackson & Stephen Colbert
Details about the story have already been released
There will be another "Lord of the Rings" film. The new adventure from Middle-earth has the working title "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past" and is to be co-developed by none other than late-night star Stephen Colbert. The news was announced by Warner Bros. via social media. There, the late-night host revealed the plans for "Shadow of the Past" in a conversation with "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson.
Six chapters from Lord of the Rings as a source of inspiration
According to Colbert, he was inspired by six chapters in the first "Lord of the Rings" book, "The Fellowship of the Ring", which were not included in Jackson's fantasy film trilogy from the 2000s. On rereading them, he says he thought to himself:
"Oh wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?"
Together with his son Peter, who also works as a screenwriter, he developed the idea further. Two years ago, he then had the courage to approach Jackson. With success:
"You liked it enough to talk to me about it, and ever since then, the two of us have been working with the brilliant Philippa Boyens on how to develop this story."
What The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past will be about
In addition to Colbert, Jackson and Boyens, Fran Walsh will also be involved in the new film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The late-night host is thus working with the trio who were already responsible for the "Lord of the Rings" and the "Hobbit" film trilogies. Details about the story are also already known. Apparently, the plot of "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past" takes place some time after the events of the original trilogy. 14 years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam's daughter Elanor discovers a long-kept secret and wants to find out why the War of the Ring was almost lost before it had even begun.
Before Colbert's journey to Middle-earth, the hunt for Gollum begins
Colbert is best known as the host of "The Late Show", which is broadcast on CBS. Last year, however, it was decided to cancel the show. The last episode is scheduled to air on May 21, 2026. Colbert had already paid a small visit to the "Lord of the Rings" cosmos before: He made a cameo appearance as a spy in the 2013 film "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug".
Before Colbert's vision of Middle-earth becomes reality, however, "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" will be released first. The film will complement the events of Peter Jackson's "The Fellowship of the Ring" and tell the story of Aragorn's search for Gollum. The latter will once again be embodied by Andy Serkis via motion capture. Serkis will also be directing the film, having previously directed the superhero film "Venom: Let There Be Carnage". Aragorn, on the other hand, will no longer be played by Viggo Mortensen. Instead, Leo Woodall is being discussed as a possible actor (we reported). As for the other actors from Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, there will be a reunion with Ian McKellen in the role of Gandalf. It is also thought that Elijah Wood could be back on board as Frodo.
The theatrical release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" is scheduled for December 17, 2027. The third season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" could also premiere that year. Unlike Jackson's films, the events of the Amazon Prime series take place thousands of years earlier. It is about the creation of the eponymous rings and the rise of the villain Sauron in the Second Age of Middle-earth. It is not yet known when fans will be able to enjoy the recently announced film "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past".
