Stephen Colbert’s Next Chapter Could Shock Longtime ‘Lord of the Rings’ Fans

Warner Bros. chose Tolkien Reading Day — March 25 — to reveal what may be the most unexpected creative pairing in the history of Middle-earth on screen: Stephen Colbert is writing the next Lord of the Rings movie.

In a video shared on X, LOTR director Peter Jackson first offered a brief update on The Hunt for Gollum, the Andy Serkis-directed film slated for 2027. 

“Andy is doing a terrific job. It’s looking amazing,” Jackson said at the start of the announcement. “The script is coming together really well and I think it’s going to be a really good film.”

But Jackson spent considerably more time introducing the project coming after The Hunt for Gollum — and he didn’t make the announcement alone.

Stephen Colbert Steps Behind the Page

Jackson brought in Colbert, who will enter a new professional chapter when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert retires on May 21, 2026, to deliver the news himself. The film will be titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past.