NEW YORK — Stephen Colbert is embarking on a new creative journey following the conclusion of his 11-year run as host of “The Late Show” in May. The comedian and longtime J.R.R. Tolkien enthusiast will cowrite and develop a new film within the beloved “Lord of the Rings” franchise, a project that has already captivated fans.
Colbert revealed the news alongside director Peter Jackson in a video announcement, signaling a return to Middle-earth for the acclaimed filmmaker. The announcement is a significant moment for fans of the franchise, which has consistently delivered blockbuster entertainment for decades.
“I’m pretty happy about it. … You know what the books mean to me and what your films mean to me,” Colbert told Jackson, who spearheaded the Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, which collectively grossed nearly $6 billion worldwide.
The upcoming film is one of two new projects currently in development at Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, through New Line Cinema. Warner Bros. Shared the announcement video on its social media channels.
Currently titled “The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past,” according to Deadline, the film will delve into previously unexplored territory within Tolkien’s expansive world.
Jackson also provided an update on “The Hunt for Gollum,” slated for release in 2027, which will be directed by and star Andy Serkis, who famously portrayed the character in the original trilogy.
Colbert explained that the new installment will draw inspiration from six early chapters of Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring” that were not adapted for the big screen in Jackson’s original films. “The thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in (The Fellowship of the Ring) that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day … and I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story,’” he said.
The idea for the film took shape through conversations with his son, screenwriter Peter McGee. “It took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile and give you a call, but about two years ago, I did. You liked it enough to talk to me about it,” Colbert shared with Jackson.
Colbert, McGee, and Jackson have been collaborating with screenwriter Philippa Boyens on the story’s development. “I could not be happier to say that they loved it, and so that’s what we’re going to be working on,” Colbert said.
Colbert announced in January that the final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will air on May 21, following CBS’s decision last year to cancel the highly rated late-night program due to financial pressures.
Acknowledging the show’s upcoming finale, Colbert quipped, “It turns out I’m going to be free starting this summer.”
Colbert’s deep affection for Tolkien’s work is well-known, frequently referenced in his comedic segments and demonstrated by his full-costume appearance moderating a “Hobbit” panel at Comic-Con in 2014.
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