Overview
- Colbert said there is “no reason” fans should trust him yet and stressed he is working under the guidance of longtime Lord of the Rings writer Philippa Boyens.
- The studio has announced The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, a film set 14 years after The Return of the King with a story built from early Fellowship chapters that were not in the Jackson films.
- Key details remain unannounced, including the director, the cast, the production start, and a firm release date, with outlets only speculating about 2029 or 2030.
- Colbert is co-writing with Boyens and Peter McGee, and his move into the project followed the end of The Late Show, which opened time in his schedule.
- Coverage notes a pocket of fan skepticism about his role, often framed against mixed reactions to recent Middle-earth expansions like Amazon’s Rings of Power.