Stephen Colbert Lord of the Rings Movie Still in Development

On Oct. 4, rumors emerged that Stephen Colbert’s Lord of the Rings project was paused as a consequence of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. The TV host originally revealed the project in March 2026. Knight Edge Media reported the story, but Lord of the Rings fans can rest easy.

In March 2026, Lord of the Rings trilogy director Peter Jackson announced a new Lord of the Rings movie project created in partnership with Stephen Colbert, who was then the host of The Late Show, and screenwriter Peter McGee. Philippa Boyens, a screenwriter on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, also joined the project. Tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, the movie received the green light from New Line and Warner Bros. The merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. sparked many rumors about the highest-profile projects belonging to the new company Skydance, but The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past remains unaffected.

The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past is still in development after Skydance merger

The original report from Knight Edge Media mentioned no specific source for the exclusive news. Screen Rant writer Rob Keyes tagged the report as inaccurate in a post on X on Oct. 5, stating that the status was exactly as it had been weeks prior and that writers were still working without a confirmed budget or shoot date. Warner Bros. also reached out to Knight Edge Media, which added an update to the bottom of the story.

Warner Bros. reiterated that the project is not canceled and remains in development. The studio clarified that the movie was never canned, leaving the door open for production.

The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past expands the original Lord of the Rings movie trilogy by adapting early chapters from the first book that Jackson cut from his films, specifically the hobbits’ journey from Hobbiton to Bree. The first steps of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin involved hunting by Black Riders, traversing unfamiliar lands, and getting trapped in the Barrow-downs.

The movie picks up after the original trilogy ends as Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace their early adventures. Variety reported the official synopsis.

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.

Stephen Colbert is a known Tolkien superfan, so his attachment to a Lord of the Rings project is unsurprising. Shadows of the Past is still in development with no further updates available. Meanwhile, The Hunt for Gollum hits theaters on Dec. 17, 2027. Directed by Andy Serkis, that movie follows Aragorn searching uncivilized lands for traces of Sméagol before the Council of Elrond on a mission from Gandalf.

Source: Polygon