There are several mystical and fantastical worlds created on the pages of novels and then translated onto the big screen. Novel-to-screen adaptations have become a significant part of filmmaking, but there is one that reigns supreme above all. At the turn of the century, director Peter Jackson delivered a masterpiece that has gone on to define the genre of fantasy — The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Since then, the temptation to return to Middle-earth has been strong, even for Jackson himself, who went on to develop the critically panned trilogy, The Hobbit.

However, despite that misadventure of sorts, Prime Video has embarked upon the journey of investing a fortune in the development of the prequel series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which is set to return on November 11 with the first four episodes of its third season. Beyond The Rings of Power, interest in J.R.R. Tolkien‘s has been at an all-time high; it would seem as more and more projects keep sprouting up. Andy Serkis, who plays the pitiable villain, Sméagol/Gollum in all three parts of the original trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, will be returning to the role in 2027. Serkis will be directing The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, while taking on his familiar role once more.

The Hunt for Gollum makes its way to theaters on December 17, 2027, but the feature is not the only new entry that fans have been anticipating. In his transition from late-night television to movies, Stephen Colbert is poised to make a new Middle-earth saga titled Lord of the Rings: The Shadow of the Past. Exciting, right? However, due to the highly publicized Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, rumors emerged that the TV host’s Middle-earth project had been “paused.” Thankfully, that is not the case. The original rumor began with an “exclusive” from Knight Edge Media. ScreenRant’s Rob Keyes was quick to label the report as “inaccurate” and was justified when Warner Bros. contacted Knight Edge Media, ultimately leading to the following update being added at the bottom of the story:

“WB has reached out to reiterate that it is not ‘cancelled’ and is still in development. As we wrote, it wasn’t cancelled/canned, which leaves the door open to still being made.”

What Is Stephen Colbert’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie About?

The Shadow of the Past will see Colbert co-write the screenplay alongside his son, Peter McGee, and director Jackson, in a story that aims to cover chapters that Jackson omitted in his first adaptation. Philippa Boyens, screenwriter on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, has also joined the project as well. As a Tolkien superfan, Colbert will have the opportunity to expand upon Middle-earth’s story by exploring written pieces that never made it on screen. While Serkis’ Hunt for Gollum will explore Aragorn’s charge by Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to search the uncivilized lands for traces of the elusive Sméagol/Gollum before the Council of Elrond. Colbert’s The Shadow of the Past will, according to the synopsis as reported by Variety, pick up after the end of the original trilogy, with Sam, Merry, and Pippin retracing their adventures:

“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 Shadow of the Past does not have a release date yet, but The Hunt for Gollum arrives in theaters on December 17. 

via Collider