Peter Jackson has revealed that Stephen Colbert pitched a new 'Lord of the Rings' film to him a year ago, before the cancellation of 'The Late Show' was announced. Jackson, speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, described Colbert as the most knowledgeable Tolkien fan he has ever met.
Colbert approached Jackson with an idea for a film based on Tolkien's books, and Jackson connected him with his long-time collaborator Philippa Boyens. The trio, along with Colbert's son Peter McGee, have spent a year working on a treatment, with Colbert even travelling to New Zealand for the project.
The film, currently titled 'The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past,' is set 14 years after Frodo's departure from Middle-earth. It follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they retrace their original adventure, while Sam's daughter Elanor uncovers a secret that could have changed the outcome of the War of the Ring.
Jackson expressed that the project has been a positive focus for Colbert following the shock of his show's cancellation. 'I think Steven's actually really happy — I think it helped him process something that was rather shocking,' Jackson said.
This marks Colbert's first major film writing role, though he previously appeared in 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' and directed a short film set in Middle-earth. The new film is part of a series of upcoming 'Lord of the Rings' projects, including Andy Serkis' 'The Hunt for Gollum.'
