News + Trends
Fruit of the Loom Japan makes the "New Girl" swuit a reality
by Laura Scholz
Back to the Shire: Peter Jackson announces new "Lord of the Rings" film
25-3-2026
Translation: machine translated
Hardly anyone expected this: Some unfilmed chapters from "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" could be coming to the cinema after all. Peter Jackson and late-night host Stephen Colbert are planning a sequel.
For fans of Peter Jackson's film adaptation of «The Lord of the Rings» there is new fodder: a new film with the working title «Shadows of the Past» is set to make its way to the big screen. Jackson announced this in a short video.
What is «Shadows of the Past» all about?
The plot of the film is inspired by a six-chapter section from the first book, «The Companions», from Chapter III («Three men up») to Chapter VIII («Mists on the Barrows»). These chapters were largely omitted from the film version, which was criticised at the time.
In this section, the four hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin enter the Old Forest after leaving the Shire, where they come under the influence of the «old willow-man», a hostile tree. They are rescued by Tom Bombadil. Tom Bombadil, a mysterious being from ancient times, takes the hobbits into his house and entertains them together with his wife, Goldberry. After saying goodbye, the hobbits move on and end up in an enchanted mist on the barrows, where eerie voices draw them into an ancient tomb.
According to the official synopsis for «Shadows of the Past» from Warner Bros, which is quoted by several portals , however, its plot is not an afterthought puzzle piece from «The Companions». Instead, 14 years after Frodo's departure from Middle-earth, the three remaining hobbits embark on a journey to retrace their past adventure. Sam's daughter Elanor also plays a role. She is on the trail of a secret concerning the War of the Ring.
In line with the original book and Jackson's film adaptation
In addition to Jackson, Stephen Colbert also has his say in the film announcement. Colbert is known as a late-night show host and satirist and is therefore an unusual person for the «Lord of the Rings» franchise. But he is also an avowed fan of the «Lord of the Rings» books and their film adaptation.
He came up with the idea for «Shadows of the Past». Colbert reports that he thought for years about how the missing chapters could be brought to the screen as a separate story. It was important to him to tell them true to Tolkien's original and in keeping with Jackson's film trilogy. He brought his idea to Jackson two years ago and has been working on a script with his son, screenwriter Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens ever since. Boyens has already worked on the screenplays for «The Lord of the Rings» and «The Hobbit».
Colbert will soon have plenty of time for the new project: his late-night show will be cancelled in May of this year. The film studios New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. have already given the green light for his film idea.
First «Hunt for Gollum», then «Shadows of the Past»
It will be some time before you can return to the Shire in your cinema seat: The film is still in the early stages of development. Jackson states that it will be shot after «Hunt for Gollum», which is due to be released in cinemas at the end of 2027. « Hunt for Gollum» will be directed by Andy Serkis, the actor who played the tortured Gollum in the two previous trilogies. Here, too, he will slip back into his favourite role. The story focuses on Gollum and his life after Bilbo Baggins steals the ring from him.
By the way: If you saw «The Fellowship of the Ring» in the cinema back in the day, you can feel really old now. The epic celebrates its 25th birthday this year. It's been a quarter of a century since you went to the cinema.
Header image: Shutterstock/Adwo
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
News + Trends
From the latest iPhone to the return of 80s fashion. The editorial team will help you make sense of it all.
Show allThese articles might also interest you
2 comments
later