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Peter Jackson is developing a Lord of the Rings film reported as The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, which is set to follow The Hunt for Gollum in the announced Middle-earth film slate. The reported story follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin 14 years after Frodo’s passing and draws on six early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring. No release date for Shadow of the Past was given in the announcement coverage.
How the new film fits into the Middle-earth slate
Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema announced two new Middle-earth feature films in May 2024, with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens returning as producers. The first announced project was The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, with Andy Serkis set to direct and star. The later-reported Shadow of the Past is positioned after it in the slate, rather than being another name for the Gollum film. Warner Bros. and New Line’s announcement
The studio originally said The Hunt for Gollum was planned for 2026. That was the schedule at the time of the 2024 announcement, not a current release date: Associated Press coverage in March 2026 described it as due the following year. Those changing plans are a reason not to infer a date for the later film.
What Shadow of the Past is reported to be about
Associated Press reported on March 25, 2026, that the new project is titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. Its reported writing team is Stephen Colbert, his son Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens. Colbert said the idea grew from early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring that were not developed into Jackson’s original film.
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The reported premise follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin on a new adventure 14 years after Frodo’s passing. The six chapters named in contemporaneous reporting begin with “Three Is Company” and end with “Fog on the Barrow-downs.” The announcement coverage does not confirm further plot details, casting, or a production start. Associated Press report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.“But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in (‘The Fellowship of the Ring’) that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day.”
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— Stephen Colbert, in the announcement conversation with Peter Jackson, as quoted by the Associated Press
How the two announced films differ
| Film | Position in reported slate | Confirmed roles or premise in the cited announcements |
|---|---|---|
| The Hunt for Gollum | First of the two films announced in 2024 | Andy Serkis is set to direct and star; the project is Gollum-focused. Warner Bros. and New Line announced an original 2026 plan, later described in March 2026 reporting as due the following year. |
| Shadow of the Past | Reported to follow The Hunt for Gollum | Reported writing team: Stephen Colbert, Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens. Reported premise: Sam, Merry, and Pippin, drawing on six early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring. |
For readers who want the source material, the reported chapters are part of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. The film announcement does not specify a required edition, and it does not mean the movie is available to watch.
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What has not been confirmed
- No release date for Shadow of the Past was provided in the March 2026 announcement coverage.
- The cited reporting does not establish a budget, casting beyond the named writing collaborators, production start, or box-office forecast.
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