With comedian Stephen Colbert set to leave late-night television in May, fans have speculated about his next move. Now the longtime host of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” has revealed he’ll pursue a passion project: developing a new “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) movie for Warner Bros.
Colbert, an outspoken Catholic, is passionate about the fantasy works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The host often quotes “LOTR” passages on TV and had a small role in director Peter Jackson’s 2013 film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”
Late Tuesday (March 24), Jackson announced the new film, “The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past”—and Colbert’s involvement—via video. Colbert joined him on the call, ahead of Wednesday’s Tolkien Reading Day (and the anniversary of the destruction of the One Ring), to explain the origin and plot of the upcoming Middle-earth project.
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In honor of Tolkien Reading Day and the destruction of the One Ring, we bring you a special announcement. pic.twitter.com/ufh9RLBIxO
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) March 25, 2026
‘LOTR’ Project Will Fill Stephen Colbert’s Free Time
In January, CBS cancelled Stephen Colbert’s late-night show after an 11-year run. The 61-year-old comedian and political commentator, who gained fame on “The Daily Show,” will air his final episode on May 21.
Colbert said he has long been captivated by six chapters from Tolkien’s book “The Fellowship of the Ring” that director Peter Jackson’s film trilogy didn’t explore. He wondered, “Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movie that you guys had already made?”
Colbert is developing “Shadow of the Past” with his screenwriter son, Peter McGee. The TV host admitted it took him “a few years to scrape my courage into a pile” to pitch the project to Jackson.
Jackson, whose “LOTR” film trilogy released from 2001 to 2003 and whose “Hobbit” film trilogy released from 2012 to 2014, is currently working with Andy Serkis on “The Hunt for Gollum,” set for a 2027 release. The director didn’t provide a timeline for “Shadow of the Past.”
Stephen Colbert has revealed he’ll pursue a passion project: developing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie for Warner Bros.Click to PostThe upcoming movie’s tagline states: “Fourteen 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, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.”
