Colbert is heading to Middle-earth

'The Late Show' host to co-write new 'Lord of the Rings' film

LOS ANGELES:

Stephen Colbert announced in a video posted this week that, following the end of his 11-year run as host of CBS's 'The Late Show' in May, he will co-write and develop a new film in the 'Lord of the Rings' franchise.

The move marks a new chapter for Colbert, a noted devotee of JRR Tolkien's fictional world. He appears in the announcement video alongside Peter Jackson, the New Zealand filmmaker who directed the original 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, a critical and commercial success.

The film's working title is 'Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past', according to a press release, although a director has yet to be announced. "I'm pretty happy about it," Colbert says to Jackson in the clip. "You know what the books mean to me and what your films mean to me."

Colbert will develop the project with his son, screenwriter Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens, one of the original trilogy's writers.

The film is the second of two 'Lord of the Rings' projects currently in development at Warner Bros Discovery and New Line Cinema. The first, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum', is in pre-production.

Tolkien's epic fantasy was published in three parts between 1954 and 1955 in the UK. It remains one of the most popular works in the genre and among the best-selling novels ever written.

Jackson's trilogy grossed more than $2.9 billion worldwide. Its final instalment, 2003's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King', won multiple honours, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. He later directed a prequel trilogy based on Tolkien's 1937 novel 'The Hobbit'.

CBS announced in July 2025 that it would cancel the Emmy-winning 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', the most-watched late-night programme on US broadcast television and a frequent platform for satire targeting President Donald Trump, who has criticised such shows.

On February 27, Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS, signed a $110 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, bringing together major studio assets and franchises including 'Harry Potter', 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Superman'.