Stephen Colbert announced in a video posted on Tuesday that he will co-write and develop a new “Lord of the Rings” film following his 11-year tenure as host of CBS’s “The Late Show.” The project marks a new chapter for Colbert, who is a noted devotee of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Colbert appears alongside Peter Jackson in the video, discussing plans with the New Zealand-born filmmaker who directed the original trilogy that was both critically and commercially successful. A director has not yet been announced for the film, which currently bears the working title “Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.”
The project will be developed by Colbert with his son Peter McGee and Philippa Boyens, one of the original trilogy’s screenwriters. This is the second upcoming “Lord of the Rings” film in development at Warner Bros Discovery and New Line Cinema; the first, “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” is currently in pre-production.
Tolkien’s epic fantasy was published in three parts between 1954 and 1955 and remains one of fantasy’s most popular stories. Jackson’s trilogy grossed over $2.9 billion worldwide, with the third installment winning numerous accolades including an Academy Award for best picture. CBS announced its cancellation on July 2025, ending Colbert’s tenure as host of the most-watched late-night program in US broadcast television.