Every Upcoming Lord of the Rings Movie & TV Show

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It’s been 25 years since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film in the original trilogy, but the franchise is more popular than ever, with several new projects planned. The Lord of the Rings is widely considered one of the greatest fantasy films and book adaptations ever made, though not all Lord of the Rings movies have been box office hits. The original trilogy is almost universally praised, but the films based on The Hobbit weren’t as successful with audiences.

After a disappointing performance in theaters, the future of the franchise looked uncertain. However, the 2022 streaming series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video, and the 2024 anime film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, revitalized interest. Now, the franchise is experiencing a resurgence with several projects – including some surprising ones – currently in the works.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3

Of the upcoming Lord of the Rings shows, Season 3 of The Rings of Power is the most anticipated – and its release date of late 2026 or early 2027 has been known for some time. Production on the new season finished in December 2025. The series follows Galadriel, an important elven character who played a key role in the history of Middle-earth, including the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy.

This series takes place thousands of years before the events of both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and focuses on Sauron – though he appears quite different than viewers might expect. The upcoming third season promises thrilling storylines and introduces new cast members, including Jamie Campbell Bower, known for his role in Stranger Things. The details of his character are currently being kept under wraps.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

The first new Lord of the Rings film announced is The Hunt for Gollum, and its reveal was more unexpected than the announcement of The Rings of Power Season 3. Andy Serkis, who famously performed and voiced Gollum in the original Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, is directing. Ian McKellan, the original Gandalf, will reprise his role, and Elijah Wood is very likely to return as Frodo Baggins.

The new film will explore the 17 years Gollum was missing before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring – a period not fully depicted in Peter Jackson’s films. Gandalf and Aragorn will both be searching for him, though the actor playing Aragorn hasn’t been announced yet. The movie is currently scheduled to be released on December 17, 2027.

The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past

The latest big news for fans of The Lord of the Rings is a new movie called The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. It will be written by Stephen Colbert, along with Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee, who is Colbert’s son and also a screenwriter. The story is set approximately 14 years after the events of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and will follow Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Sam’s daughter.

The new movie will largely focus on parts of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring that weren’t included in Peter Jackson’s films, particularly chapters 3 through 8. It appears the story will be set 14 years after The Return of the King, and will use flashbacks to tell the tale of The Fellowship of the Ring. While there’s no release date yet, the project is already generating a lot of excitement.

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2026-03-27 01:12