Peter Jackson is returning to Middle-earth with another Lord of the Rings film, and this one picks up well after Frodo’s story ends. Warner Bros. is expanding the franchise with multiple projects, and Jackson’s new sequel is part of that push.
Meanwhile, a different addition to the franchise is already on the calendar. Andy Serkis is directing a prequel called The Hunt for Gollum, which is slated to arrive in theaters in 2027. So yes, Warner Bros. is moving fast on both prequels and sequels.
The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past follows the Hobbits on a new adventure
The new Jackson film has a title: The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past. It is a sequel set 14 years after Frodo’s passing and focuses on the three Hobbits who survived the original quest.
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.
Stephen Colbert is co-developing the project with Jackson. Colbert says the idea grew from material in J. R. R. Tolkien’s first book, roughly covering the chapters from "Three Is Company" through "Fog on the Barrow-Downs." He framed the film around those episodes to create a story that connects the books and the earlier movies.
It is not yet confirmed whether Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd will return as Sam, Merry, and Pippin. The 14-year time jump does make it more plausible that the original actors could reprise their roles, but official casting news has not been released.
For now, details are limited. Warner Bros. has several Rings-era projects in the works, and Shadows of the Past looks aimed at revisiting familiar faces while introducing a new mystery centered on Sam’s daughter Elanor. Expect more announcements as production progresses.
