The next Lord of the Rings movie will be co-written by two of the franchise’s biggest fans: Stephen Colbert and his son! The news was announced in March 2026 by Peter Jackson in a social media video shared by Warner Bros., which is distributing the 2027 film.
In the clip shared on March 25, 2026, Jackson shared he wanted to give fans an update on the Hunt for Gollum installment.
“The script is coming together really well, and I think it’s gonna be a really good film,” the filmmaker said, before revealing Colbert as the writing partner in their endeavor.
“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” the late-night TV host said to Jackson. “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. It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs.’ And I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?’”
Below, Hollywood Life has a breakdown of what to expect from The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum movie.
In honor of Tolkien Reading Day and the destruction of the One Ring, we bring you a special announcement. pic.twitter.com/ufh9RLBIxO
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) March 25, 2026
What Is the Stephen Colbert Lord of The Rings Movie Titled?
As previously noted, the upcoming film is titled: The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
The movie’s official logline reads, “Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Release Date
Warner Bros. has set a release date for the next Lord of the Rings movie for December 17, 2027.
Who Is in the Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Cast?
In addition to serving as the director of the film, Andy Serkis is returning as Gollum / Sméagol in the 2027 movie. He is joined by Ian McKellan, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen and Kate Winslet.
