New Lord of the Rings film spin-off confirmed – and it’s set after the original trilogy

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With so many sequels and spin-offs being made these days, it’s no surprise another big franchise is on the way – and this week, it was confirmed that a new Lord of the Rings project is in the works.

Currently called The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, the new movie takes inspiration from chapter eight of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, but the story will unfold after the conclusion of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The project is being written by Stephen Colbert, best known as a popular comedian and talk show host, but also a devoted fan of The Lord of the Rings. He’s collaborating on the screenplay with his son, Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens, a long-time writer for the franchise.

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The movie takes place fourteen years after Frodo’s death and centers on Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they revisit the beginning of their original journey.

The story follows Sam’s daughter, Elanor, who has unearthed an old secret and is now trying to find out how close the War of the Ring came to being lost right from the start.

There’s also talk that Tom Bombadil, a popular character from the books who wasn’t in the earlier movies, will be featured in this one.

Stephen Colbert and Peter Jackson—the director of the original movie trilogy and The Hobbit films—announced the new movie in a video. Jackson will also be a producer on the project.

As a huge fan of both the books and the films, I’ve always been a little obsessed with the first six chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring. It’s funny, because Stephen Colbert actually pointed this out – he said those chapters were his favorite, and he always wished they’d been fully adapted into the first movie. I totally get what he means; there’s so much great stuff in there that really sets the stage!

I recently learned the filmmakers are aiming for something really interesting with this new project. They want it to stand on its own as a complete story, but also seamlessly connect to the existing universe. The biggest challenge, and what excites me most, is that they’re determined to stay true to both the source material – the books – and the established tone and continuity of the previous films. It’s a delicate balance, but if they pull it off, we’re in for something special.

Besides this project, another Lord of the Rings spin-off movie is also being made. Andy Serkis will direct ‘The Hunt for Gollum,’ and Ian McKellen is expected to return as Gandalf. Kate Winslet might also appear in the film.

Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans for a new Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum, in May 2024. CEO David Zaslav stated that this movie will be the first in a series of films set in Middle-earth, telling stories fans haven’t seen before.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming services. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time, he’s interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

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2026-03-25 20:39