Warner Bros. has announced that Stephen Colbert and his son Peter McGee are developing a brand-new «Lord of the Rings» movie. The announcement was shared on the studio’s social media accounts on Tuesday evening.
The reveal opened with director Peter Jackson providing an update on the next franchise film, Andy Serkis’ «The Hunt for Gollum,» set for release in 2027. Jackson praised Serkis’ work, saying the script was coming together well and the project looked «amazing.» He then introduced Colbert as his «very special partner» for the following film, titled «The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past.»
Exploring unused chapters from the books
A longtime Tolkien fan, Colbert explained that the plot will be based on chapters from «The Fellowship of the Ring» that were not included in Jackson’s 2001 adaptation.
«The chapters I kept returning to were ‘Three is Company’ through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs,’» Colbert said. «I thought maybe that could be its own story that fits into the larger saga while staying faithful to both the books and the films.»
Stephen Colbert worked with his son McGee to develop a «framing device» before approaching Jackson. Over the past two years, they have collaborated with screenwriter Philippa Boyens to finalise the script.
The film’s official logline reads:
«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.»
Colbert’s first major blockbuster role
This marks Stephen Colbert’s first major venture into blockbuster filmmaking, though he has worked with Jackson previously. He appeared in a small role in «The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug» in 2013 and directed Jackson and original Lord of the Rings cast members Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, and Elijah Wood in the 2019 short film «Darrylgorn.»
Boyens, based in New Zealand, has co-written Jackson’s «Lord of the Rings» trilogy, «The Hobbit» films, and 2005’s «King Kong.» McGee’s credits include «Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,» «Outer Banks,» «The Righteous Gemstones,» and «Blue Bloods.»
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote «The Lord of the Rings» in the 1950s following the success of «The Hobbit.» Jackson’s original film adaptations were released from 2001 to 2003 and won 17 Oscars, including 11 for «The Return of the King.» Jackson later split «The Hobbit» into three films released from 2012 to 2014.
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