New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie From Stephen Colbert and His Son in Development at Warner Bros.

[gbatfatf 109]

Didn’t Ebert state that the job of the critic is to ask why? I wish more creators did this, too.

[Jill Sandwich 11,183]

[Edmilson 12,393]

2 hours ago, Sophie said:

I wish more creators did this, too

They do, but then the studios answer with "Because money!". It's impossible to say no.

[gbatfatf 109]

1 hour ago, Edmilson said:

It's impossible to say no.

If you say so.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

On 25/3/2026 at 8:01 PM, Jim said:

Well at least Jackson's looking well. Is he dying his hair? Whatever, he looks better than the last time I saw him.

 

Really? I think he sounds...well, not well. Something is off in the way he's speaking. And it's more than just age, the guy's only 64.

 

If he's having neurological problems, I apologize for telling him to f*ck off because of this abomination. But really...he should know better.

[Barnald 440]

3 hours ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

 

Really? I don't think he sounds...well, good. Something is off in the way he's speaking. And it's more than just age, the guy's only 64.

 

If he's having neurological problems, I apologize for telling him to f*ck off because of this abomination. But really...he should know better.

 

If he is having neurological problems, can he know better?

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

Unless he's wearing The Ring or a Horcrux around his neck, he should know better.

 

I am starting to think there's something going on here. Aside from the WWI & Beatles docs he's done (in which he's more of an editor than director), he actually hasn't directed a film since The Hobbit. That's pretty unusual for a relatively young guy who made one of the most iconic franchise trilogies in history and has carte blanche to make any film he chose. Remind you of anyone?

 

Either he's gone full Lucas, and vanished into his Bond villain lair, bereft of creativity and inspiration beyond the franchise that made him. Or...there's something else going on. Why is Andy Serkis directing supposedly what is his "dream project" that he's been thinking about for 25+ years? Why is the guy who spoke so adoringly, and respectfully of Tolkien's work in the LOTR Appendices (the docs) literally become what used to be an MTV skit.

 

And I know I sound glib, but it truly pains me to say this, because he made three beautiful films that I hold dear above almost all others. But the Peter Jackson who made those film doesn't exist anymore. Nor do those versions of all of us who watched them for the very first time. So what, exactly, are we expecting anyway?

 

EDIT: Hey, @Jay, I just noticed this was my 10,000th post. Where's my set of steak knives?

[Chen G. 6,149]

I don't think Peter choosing to produce a film rather than direct it is something to be read as a note of disinterest: You can't claim Peter isn't passionate about The Dambusters, but the idea for a long time was he'd produce it for Christian Rivers. The original plan was that he'd produce The Hobbit for Guillermo del Toro, while busying himself directing Mortal Engines. It ended up exactly the other way around.

 

As for why he didn't direct a feature...Peter in a recent video attributes this to the death of Andrew Lesnie, and I believe him. We'll see what he does now. Not that I think he will direct The Shadow of the Past, but it's not insignificant that no director has been announced for the project, and it's normally not like Peter to develop a script without having a director onboard.

 

None of this is to say I don't find the idea of this film...quite odd. But I think it's no more and no less than Colbert coming to Peter with a pitch that he liked.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

Maybe these things could work as animated features. Maybe. Or a "Tales of Middle-Earth" anthology TV series. Or a Blu-Ray supplements to super deluxe edition of the films (which was frankly what THfG was envisioned as) where expectations were checked accordingly.

But as big budget features...I don't see it. There's not enough drama in the six "missing" chapters of LOTR for an epic film, so there's going to have to be a lot of fan fic. For those who think this isn't a cash grab...what is the creative impetus for making a film out of those chapters? Material that both Jackson and Bakshi felt was superfluous enough to keep out? I mean, as a fan of those books, I love those chapters. But in terms of cinematic storytelling, they're inertia stoppers. 

 

The other thing I don't like is the utter lack of respect and seriousness the whole thing is being handled with. That announcement with Colbert was an amateur hour joke. No one cares. It's Lucas "good enough" stuff. Haha, look folks, it's American late night TV funny man Stephen Colbert! 

 

 

A far cry from this...

 

 

In any event, what we can say with almost complete certainty is that there's going to be a lot of recasting going on. So there's your continuity out the window.

[Chen G. 6,149]

5 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

But as big budget features...I don't see it. There's not enough drama in the six "missing" chapters of LOTR for an epic film

 

I share this concern fully, don't get me wrong. It's all...very weird.

[Jay 46,346]

1 hour ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

EDIT: Hey, @Jay, I just noticed this was my 10,000th post.

 

Congrats and welcome to the club!

[Barnald 440]

2 hours ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

Unless he's wearing The Ring or a Horcrux around his neck, he should know better.

 

I am starting to think there's something going on here. Aside from the WWI & Beatles docs he's done (in which he's more of an editor than director), he actually hasn't directed a film since The Hobbit. That's pretty unusual for a relatively young guy who made one of the most iconic franchise trilogies in history and has carte blanche to make any film he chose. Remind you of anyone?

 

Either he's gone full Lucas, and vanished into his Bond villain lair, bereft of creativity and inspiration beyond the franchise that made him. Or...there's something else going on. 

 

The PJ of yore died long ago.

 

[Chen G. 6,149]

Things have really gone awry if it's left to me to call y'all melodramatic. 

[Barnald 440]

17 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Things have really gone awry if it's left to me to call y'all melodramatic. 

 

This place probably makes your incestuous Wagnerian operas seem tame.

[Mr. Hooper 9,004]

Boy, it's dark and dank down here...

 

Anyway, I just popped in to express my condolences after hearing the news.

 

It takes some major cojones for Colbert—superfan though he may be—to try to add to the Tolkien mythos, but let's hope for the best.

 

Okay, I'm heading back up now. 

[Edmilson 12,393]

4 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

to try to add to the Tolkien mythos, but let's hope for the best.

You mean the Jackson mythos? Or Jackson's interpretation of the Tolkien mythos? Because the goal of the project is to add some chapters from Fellowship of the Ring that were cut from the movie version.

 

My good robotic friend, the Copilot, made a summary of what happens in those chapters and what we can expect from the movie.

 

---

📖 Summary of Chapters 3 to 8 (The Fellowship of the Ring)

Chapter 3 – Three Is Company

• Frodo decides to leave the Shire after Gandalf’s advice, selling Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.
• He sets out with Sam and Pippin.
• Along the way, they realize they are being followed by Black Riders.
• They meet Gildor Inglorion and a group of Elves, who offer hospitality and warn them of danger.

Chapter 4 – A Short Cut to Mushrooms

• The hobbits avoid main roads, taking shortcuts through fields.
• They visit Farmer Maggot, who provides food and help, despite Pippin’s past mischief.
• Maggot reveals that a Black Rider came to his farm asking about Frodo.

Chapter 5 – A Conspiracy Unmasked

• At Frodo’s new house in Crickhollow, he learns that Merry and Pippin already knew about his mission and planned to join him.
• Sam, Merry, and Pippin pledge to follow Frodo.
• Frodo decides to cross the Old Forest, a mysterious and feared place.

Chapter 6 – The Old Forest

• The group enters the Old Forest, where the trees seem alive and hostile.
• They are attacked by the Old Man Willow, who traps Merry and Pippin inside his trunk.
• They are rescued by Tom Bombadil, a cheerful and enigmatic figure with mastery over the forest.

Chapter 7 – In the House of Tom Bombadil

• The hobbits stay at Tom’s house with his wife Goldberry.
• Tom shows deep knowledge of the world and even of the Ring, but is unaffected by it.
• This chapter emphasizes the mythical and folkloric tone of Middle-earth.

Chapter 8 – Fog on the Barrow-Downs

• Leaving Tom, the hobbits cross the Barrow-downs.
• They are captured by a Barrow-wight, an evil spirit haunting the tombs.
• Frodo bravely calls for Tom Bombadil, who comes and frees them.
• Tom gives them ancient swords from the barrows, which later play a crucial role against the Nazgûl.

---

✨ What to Expect from a Film Based on These Chapters

• A more folkloric and mystical atmosphere than the traditional movie adaptation.
• Tom Bombadil as a central character, absent from the films, bringing humor, mystery, and unique power.
• Extended Black Rider pursuit scenes, adding tension.
• Dark and magical settings like the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs, full of suspense.
• The Barrow-blades, important weapons that connect directly to the Nazgûl storyline.

---

This section of the book is rich in myth and mystery, and if adapted, it would highlight Tolkien’s more folkloric side that was left out of Jackson’s films.

[WampaRat 1,956]

18 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

You mean the Jackson mythos? Or Jackson's interpretation of the Tolkien mythos? Because the goal of the project is to add some chapters from Fellowship of the Ring that were cut from the movie version.

 

My good robotic friend, the Copilot, made a summary of what happens in those chapters and what we can expect from the movie.

 

---

📖 Summary of Chapters 3 to 8 (The Fellowship of the Ring)

Chapter 3 – Three Is Company

• Frodo decides to leave the Shire after Gandalf’s advice, selling Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.
• He sets out with Sam and Pippin.
• Along the way, they realize they are being followed by Black Riders.
• They meet Gildor Inglorion and a group of Elves, who offer hospitality and warn them of danger.

Chapter 4 – A Short Cut to Mushrooms

• The hobbits avoid main roads, taking shortcuts through fields.
• They visit Farmer Maggot, who provides food and help, despite Pippin’s past mischief.
• Maggot reveals that a Black Rider came to his farm asking about Frodo.

Chapter 5 – A Conspiracy Unmasked

• At Frodo’s new house in Crickhollow, he learns that Merry and Pippin already knew about his mission and planned to join him.
• Sam, Merry, and Pippin pledge to follow Frodo.
• Frodo decides to cross the Old Forest, a mysterious and feared place.

Chapter 6 – The Old Forest

• The group enters the Old Forest, where the trees seem alive and hostile.
• They are attacked by the Old Man Willow, who traps Merry and Pippin inside his trunk.
• They are rescued by Tom Bombadil, a cheerful and enigmatic figure with mastery over the forest.

Chapter 7 – In the House of Tom Bombadil

• The hobbits stay at Tom’s house with his wife Goldberry.
• Tom shows deep knowledge of the world and even of the Ring, but is unaffected by it.
• This chapter emphasizes the mythical and folkloric tone of Middle-earth.

Chapter 8 – Fog on the Barrow-Downs

• Leaving Tom, the hobbits cross the Barrow-downs.
• They are captured by a Barrow-wight, an evil spirit haunting the tombs.
• Frodo bravely calls for Tom Bombadil, who comes and frees them.
• Tom gives them ancient swords from the barrows, which later play a crucial role against the Nazgûl.

---

✨ What to Expect from a Film Based on These Chapters

• A more folkloric and mystical atmosphere than the traditional movie adaptation.
• Tom Bombadil as a central character, absent from the films, bringing humor, mystery, and unique power.
• Extended Black Rider pursuit scenes, adding tension.
• Dark and magical settings like the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs, full of suspense.
• The Barrow-blades, important weapons that connect directly to the Nazgûl storyline.

---

This section of the book is rich in myth and mystery, and if adapted, it would highlight Tolkien’s more folkloric side that was left out of Jackson’s films.

 

Interesting.
So when I watch the films in chronological order with my kids, when I get to Fellowship,  I’ll watch the first 15ish minutes of that film, stop, throw on Hunt For Gollum then come back to Fellowship for another 15-20ish minutes, pause, throw Shadow of the Past on , then resume with the rest of Fellowship.

These new films feel like their own kind of appendices. I suppose that’s the intent?

 

[Edmilson 12,393]

3 hours ago, WampaRat said:

So when I watch the films in chronological order with my kids, when I get to Fellowship,  I’ll watch the first 15ish minutes of that film, stop, throw on Hunt For Gollum then come back to Fellowship for another 15-20ish minutes, pause, throw Shadow of the Past on , then resume with the rest of Fellowship.

I think @Chen G. will be able to help you with the exact timestamp in FOTR that you'll need to pause to watch these two films 

[Rachael Foley 10,174]

Some things that probably will not make it in unchanged:

 

The swords (as Aragorn gives them to the Hobbits at weathertop)

Merry and Pippin's knowledge of Frodo's quest

Farmer Maggot's involvment

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

 

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

I think @Chen G. will be able to help you with the exact timestamp in FOTR that you'll need to pause to watch these two films 

 

Oh, trust me, I guarantee you Chen is already thinking about this. And how it will all fit into one big WotR/Hobbit/tHfG/FOTR/SotP/tHfG/FOTR/TTT/ROTK marathon. Followed by the inevitable ROTK sequel. Including how long it will be with and without credits.

 

I'm sure before ROP became a disaster, he was going to try to fit that in too!

[Quintus 6,516]

8 hours ago, Edmilson said:

You mean the Jackson mythos? Or Jackson's interpretation of the Tolkien mythos? Because the goal of the project is to add some chapters from Fellowship of the Ring that were cut from the movie version.

 

My good robotic friend, the Copilot, made a summary of what happens in those chapters and what we can expect from the movie.

 

---

📖 Summary of Chapters 3 to 8 (The Fellowship of the Ring)

Chapter 3 – Three Is Company

• Frodo decides to leave the Shire after Gandalf’s advice, selling Bag End to Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.
• He sets out with Sam and Pippin.
• Along the way, they realize they are being followed by Black Riders.
• They meet Gildor Inglorion and a group of Elves, who offer hospitality and warn them of danger.

Chapter 4 – A Short Cut to Mushrooms

• The hobbits avoid main roads, taking shortcuts through fields.
• They visit Farmer Maggot, who provides food and help, despite Pippin’s past mischief.
• Maggot reveals that a Black Rider came to his farm asking about Frodo.

Chapter 5 – A Conspiracy Unmasked

• At Frodo’s new house in Crickhollow, he learns that Merry and Pippin already knew about his mission and planned to join him.
• Sam, Merry, and Pippin pledge to follow Frodo.
• Frodo decides to cross the Old Forest, a mysterious and feared place.

Chapter 6 – The Old Forest

• The group enters the Old Forest, where the trees seem alive and hostile.
• They are attacked by the Old Man Willow, who traps Merry and Pippin inside his trunk.
• They are rescued by Tom Bombadil, a cheerful and enigmatic figure with mastery over the forest.

Chapter 7 – In the House of Tom Bombadil

• The hobbits stay at Tom’s house with his wife Goldberry.
• Tom shows deep knowledge of the world and even of the Ring, but is unaffected by it.
• This chapter emphasizes the mythical and folkloric tone of Middle-earth.

Chapter 8 – Fog on the Barrow-Downs

• Leaving Tom, the hobbits cross the Barrow-downs.
• They are captured by a Barrow-wight, an evil spirit haunting the tombs.
• Frodo bravely calls for Tom Bombadil, who comes and frees them.
• Tom gives them ancient swords from the barrows, which later play a crucial role against the Nazgûl.

---

✨ What to Expect from a Film Based on These Chapters

• A more folkloric and mystical atmosphere than the traditional movie adaptation.
• Tom Bombadil as a central character, absent from the films, bringing humor, mystery, and unique power.
• Extended Black Rider pursuit scenes, adding tension.
• Dark and magical settings like the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs, full of suspense.
• The Barrow-blades, important weapons that connect directly to the Nazgûl storyline.

---

This section of the book is rich in myth and mystery, and if adapted, it would highlight Tolkien’s more folkloric side that was left out of Jackson’s films.

 

 

I think the intention is to depict the historical events referred to in the Barrow Downs chapter via an extended flashback, or perhaps a prologue.

[Chen G. 6,149]

On 27/03/2026 at 5:23 AM, Nick1Ø66 said:

Oh, trust me, I guarantee you Chen is already thinking about this. And how it will all fit into one big WotR/Hobbit/tHfG/FOTR/SotP/tHfG/FOTR/TTT/ROTK marathon. Followed by the inevitable ROTK sequel. Including how long it will be with and without credits.

 

Okay, that does it! 

 

.........

Where did you hide you camera, huh? WHERE!? 

 

........

 

And yes...I...might have...urn....done a thing:

 

 

I decided The War of the Rohirrim must by rights sit outside the structure proper: it would be a little bit like saying the trailers and commercials you watch before the movie in the theatre are part of the first act.

 

From there, the story basically follows the War of the Ring: the setup for it in the first one-and-a-half Hobbit entries. The outbreak of the war starting in the 2:30 hour mark of The Desolation of Smaug (Sauron's armies first set out). The major upheval in the course of the war when it emerges that Bilbo's Ring is a kind of doomsday weapon for the war. It's lowest point when Minas Tirith seems lost, and its final triumph at the Morannon.

 

Obviously the mounting intensity isn't linear nor does it need to be: I've marked high-points of intensity with explosive marks, with the implication that the intensity then drops considerably. For example, the fact that we go from the frenetic action of The Battle of the Five Armies to the more sedate early part of The Fellowship of the Ring. It's not inherently a weakness: that can happen in an individual film just the same, look at how much The Dark Knight slows down after Rachel's death (the midpoint).

 

I've also decided to move the midpoint - usually some big "twist" in the course of events - from "One Ring to rule them all" (In theory, this would be quite a shocker to someone watching the films in order with virgin eyes) to the repercussions of it, in terms of the characters doing something. Specifically, Frodo deciding to take the Ring. That's a little more consistent with the idea of a midpoint in a movie structure.

 

You'll notice the midpoint still comes in just a wee bit early in the second act. Presumably The Hunt for Gollum can redress that. Now, Shadow of the Past...I don't know, partly because I'm getting mixed messages from Colbert and from the synopsis: maybe it works to the effect of an epilogue? A postlude to the prelude that is Rohirrim!? I mean, the third act is a little bit on the short side, but then again having placed Rohirrim outside the structure proper, would it not make sense to do the same here? Or perhaps the fact that this is much more closely-knit into the characters and events of The Lord of the Rings suggest otherwise? And do we need an epilogue, anyway!? And, if we do, would it not make sense to have something that rounds off the whole structure, rather than something that flashes back to the middle of the narrative? Questions...questions that need answering! (And yes, this is all without end-credits).

 

Okay, I think I'm all Chen-d out...

[Tallguy 7,387]

4 hours ago, Jim said:

I think the intention is to depict the historical events referred to in the Barrow Downs chapter via an extended flashback, or perhaps a prologue.

 

I'm not saying this won't be the case, but then why list all of the other chapters?

 

From NPR:

Quote

Colbert said in the video with Jackson that the film will adapt six early chapters — "Three is company" through "Fog on the Barrow-downs" — from The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. These chapters were not part of the first film.

 

What is in the film from here? Frodo and Sam leave, obviously (without Pippin). They meet the Black Rider. They cross the Brandywine.

 

In the film they stumble into Merry and Pippin (who are stealing from Farmer Maggot who does not live near Buckland?). And they are chased to the ferry.

 

While I would love to see many things from these chapters, it's not really rousing cinema on its own, is it?

• The ELVES!
• Farmer Maggot
• Buckland
• I'd like to see stout hearted Pippin and Merry and Frodo's new house. But how does that fit in with the rest of the film? (Does Frodo even sell Bag End in the film or does he just scamper?)
• Then of course there is Old Man Willow and Tom Bombadill and Goldberry.
• And the the Barrow Downs and the Barrow Wights. 

Then they reach Bree. Not really a wow ending?

[Chen G. 6,149]

1 hour ago, Tallguy said:

From NPR:

 

Let's try their original words:

 

Quote

Sir Peter Jackson: Well, hi everybody, I thought it was time to, um, to give you all a Hunt for Gollum update: the first of many that we'll do, little blogs along the way. And...Andy Serkis has been busy designing the film. He's gonna direct it and obviously play Gollum. We've got a lot of the old team back again, familiar faces... and some new faces [footage of Andy Serkis, Philippa Boyens, John Howe, Dan Hennah and Gino Acevedo]. But Andy's doing a terrific job: it's looking amazing. The script is coming together really well, and I think it's going to be a really good film, really good film.

 

But that is not the only Tolkien movie that we're developing. We've got a... one...another film that we'll be making after Hunt for Gollum. [pause] So I thought I should tell you a little bit about that. Umm... [pause] Oh, actually, why don't I get somebody else to, to explain it. 'Cause we got a very special partner that we're working with, and you can see for yourself, hang on. There we go. Hello?

 

Stephen Colbert: [emerging from behind the Red Book of Westmarch] Hi Peter.

 

Jackson: Hey Stephen, hi. How are you?

 

Colbert: How are you doing?

 

J. Good, good. Good. [pause] I like, like all your T...Tolkien stuff, on, on the wall there, that's...yeah, that's...[unintelligible, pointing at a painting and some movie figures behind Colbert].

 

C.  Well thanks. This is... just part of the collection.

 

J. [chuckles] So I was just explaing to the folks about, um, the next, um, Tolkien movie after Hunt for Gollum and, and the fact that we've partnered up with you to, to develop the script, so...

 

C. Yeah, I'm pretty happy about it [Peter chuckles]. ...Should I tell people what the story is?

 

J. As much as you want, yeah, yep. Yep.

 

C. Well, as much as I can. You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me. But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in the Fellowship [of the Ring, the novel] that y'all never developed into the first movie back in the day. The...it's basically, the chapter[s] is "Three is Company" through "Fog on the Barrow Downs."

 

And I thought "Oh wait! ["hmm" from Peter, who nods through the following] Maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story." Could we make something that was completely [pause] faithful to the books, while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made, and..I started talking it over with my son Peter [McGee] whose also a screenwriter ["hmm" from Peter here who proceeds to sip tea], and... we worked out what we thought would work, especially as a framing device for that story.

 

And, um, it took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile [Peter nods, smiles] to give you a call, but about two years ago I did. You liked it enough to talk to me about it [Peter nods], and ever since then the two of us [Stephen's hand gestures suggest "us" is himself and McGee] had been working with [pause] the brilliant Philippa Boyens on how to develop the story, and we recently took it to, um, um, Richard Brener at New Line and Pam Abdy and Mike de Luca at Warner Brothers, and I could not be happier to say that they loved it ["hmm" from Peter]. And so...that's what we're gonna be working on.

 

J. Fantastic. Now, are you sure you have the time, though. Because, you know...

 

C. That...I did not think I would have the time. As much as I love it, I [pause] knew I couldn't do that and do the show at the same time, but it turns out I'm gonna be free starting this summer, so...

 

J. Isn't that...isn't that fortunate? [laughs]

 

C. Isn't that...isn't that [chuckles], isn't that a Eucatastrophe right there? [Peter laughs] So, if you'll excuse me, uh, I've got to finish a television show, and I've got to write a movie script ["yep" from Peter], and I'll see you all in the Shire.

 

J. Okay, alright, bye bye. See...see you, Stephen, bye. Bye bye.

 

C. Thanks, Peter.

 

J. Bye Bye.

 

And then the synopsis via the trades:

 

Quote

“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.”

 

 

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

4 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

Okay, that does it! 

 

.........

Where did you hide you camera, huh? WHERE!? 

 

........

 

And yes...I...might have...urn....done a thing:

 

 

I decided The War of the Rohirrim must by rights sit outside the structure proper: it would be a little bit like saying the trailers and commercials you watch before the movie in the theatre are part of the first act.

 

From there, the story basically follows the War of the Ring: the setup for it in the first one-and-a-half Hobbit entries. The outbreak of the war starting in the 2:30 hour mark of The Desolation of Smaug (Sauron's armies first set out). The major upheval in the course of the war when it emerges that Bilbo's Ring is a kind of doomsday weapon for the war. It's lowest point when Minas Tirith seems lost, and its final triumph at the Morannon.

 

Obviously the mounting intensity isn't linear nor does it need to be: I've marked high-points of intensity with explosive marks, with the implication that the intensity then drops considerably. For example, the fact that we go from the frenetic action of The Battle of the Five Armies to the more sedate early part of The Fellowship of the Ring. It's not inherently a weakness: that can happen in an individual film just the same, look at how much The Dark Knight slows down after Rachel's death (the midpoint).

 

I've also decided to move the midpoint - usually some big "twist" in the course of events - from "One Ring to rule them all" (In theory, this would be quite a shocker to someone watching the films in order with virgin eyes) to the repercussions of it, in terms of the characters doing something. Specifically, Frodo deciding to take the Ring. That's a little more consistent with the idea of a midpoint in a movie structure.

 

You'll notice the midpoint still comes in just a wee bit early in the second act. Presumably The Hunt for Gollum can redress that. Now, Shadow of the Past...I don't know, partly because I'm getting mixed messages from Colbert and from the synopsis: maybe it works to the effect of an epilogue? A postlude to the prelude that is Rohirrim!? I mean, the third act is a little bit on the short side, but then again having placed Rohirrim outside the structure proper, would it not make sense to do the same here? Or perhaps the fact that this is much more closely-knit into the characters and events of The Lord of the Rings suggest otherwise? And do we need an epilogue, anyway!? And, if we do, would it not make sense to have something that rounds off the whole structure, rather than something that flashes back to the middle of the narrative? Questions...questions that need answering! (And yes, this is all without end-credits).

 

Okay, I think I'm all Chen-d out...

Hmmmm. Sounds like a perfect project for…a fan editor!? Actually, it makes perfect sense…a fan edit of fanfic!

 

And be honest…early on, before it aired…you did a version of this with ROP, didn’t you?

 

12 hours ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

Followed by the inevitable ROTK sequel.

BTW, I wasn’t kidding about this. Like a full blown LOTR remake, a sequel will happen. 💯 It’s only a matter of time, and after they strip mine all the “interquel” material they can. 
 

Quote

“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.”

This really awkwardly worded. I'm sure the nepo babies actually writing the script will do better.

[Chen G. 6,149]

13 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

early on, before it aired…you did a version of this with ROP, didn’t you?

 

I thought about how that might and might not work. But there was no way to actually imagine that without knowing more about how the project will play out, which we didn't until at least a few chapters in, by which time it was clear it wasn't the genuine article. One could sooner add the Tolkien biopic to the structure than the show.

 

It never would have worked anyway: at 42-43 hours the show will be far longer than all nine of these films put together. You can't have material which is, by nature, background material overwhelm the material its supposed to background.

[WampaRat 1,956]

@Chen G.The WORLD needs to see that chart. If only so WB, PJ, and all can see the lunacy of these projects depicted so vividly! Just maybe it will snap them out of it 😄

[Chen G. 6,149]

Hey, The Hunt for Gollum can still fit into the chart just fine, at least in theory.

 

It's the stuff to come after it - including Shadow of the Past - that I'm not sure about.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

1 hour ago, WampaRat said:

@Chen G.The WORLD needs to see that chart.

 

The world just saw it.

[BloodBoal 8,716]

5 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

 

[Chen G. 6,149]

27 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

 

Okay, I seriously need to find the secret camera that permits y'all to have all this footage of me! 

 

I mean, it's more intuitive than it seems. It's not like I'm doing the whole "rhyming stanzas" thing that Star Wars fans do.

[Incanus 5,891]

I wonder what will they think of next to "adapt". A single page from a part of LotR they left out of the movies?

 

I have zero interest in any Tolkien adaptations after the Hobbit, which itself was a enormous mixed bag that suffered from the Lucas style Prequelitis (more CGI and "bigger is better" mentality). But this endless milking of Tolkien's works with such creatively bankrupt projects is simply awful. 

[BloodBoal 8,716]

I'm glad you're with us, Incanus. Here, at the end of all things.

[Incanus 5,891]

BloodBoal, you haven't aged a day!

[BloodBoal 8,716]

Now, tell me where is Kalaisan Kalaichelvan, for I much desire to speak with him!

[Tallguy 7,387]

We're farther from Jackson's Fellowship of the Ring than Jackson was from Bakshi, right?

[Chen G. 6,149]

3 hours ago, Incanus said:

But this endless milking of Tolkien's works with such creatively bankrupt projects is simply awful. 

 

Just to offer a bit of a counter to the chorus that is this thread - and mind you, I find The Shadow of the Past a very odd project so feel free to take this as me partially playing devil's advocate - I think there's still stuff to be discovered in Tolkien-related projects, at least on the New Line Cinema side of things. I'm talking here more on a cinematic level than on the level of "realizing" Tolkien's prose, but bear with me for a moment.

 

Look at The War of the Rohirrim. On the face of it, it's just a standalone vignette from the history of Rohan, with very little to offer - conceptually, visually or otherwise - that's new to these films, especially given its realization as some cheap anime "quickie." And yet, for all its many shortcomings, it does add to the series: the first major human antagonist and more generally a conflict wholly confined to one part of Middle-earth (in stark contrast to the globetrotting quests of yore) between two warring human factions. The more Machiavelian trappings of the first 50 minutes or so were very nice, at least to me.

 

Both it and The Two Towers feature a siege of the Hornburg, but whereas the one in The Two Towers is a one night-stand, the one in The War of the Rohirrim is an extended blockade, and while the siege tower contraption thingie is a little contrived, its construction gives us a kind of visual illustration of the protracted passage of time. The Long Winter also added a new visual touch to the proceedings: Jackson's Middle-earth is a surprisingly temperate place, without much by way of extreme winter in the Doctor Zhivago or Empire Strikes Back sense, but here that got redressed somewhat.

 

I feel, whatever could be said for the quality of each entry in the series, each and every one of them had made Jackson's realization of Middle-earth and of the story richer, in the sense that it added to it conceptually, narratively, audiovisually and structurally. And I can only hope that's also the case with The Hunt for Gollum. The Shadow of the Past...let's just say,  we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

 

And my structural-minded self finds it...intruiging, shall we say...that Peter is now producing effectively another trilogy, with one film in the beginning of the series, one smack dab in the middle, and one at the end. I truly don't know how it will turn out - especially Shadow of the Past, but also The Hunt for Gollum - but I'm willing to...hear him out, shall we say.

 

A part of me still hopes its a Forgotten Silver/Son of Kong prank, but I doubt it.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

On 25/3/2026 at 9:41 PM, Chen G. said:

Another option we need to look into is that this is some big, totally deadpan prank a-la Jackson's Forgotten Silver. Or that Son of Kong prank he pulled in the King Kong making-ofs.

 
Nah. If that were case they would have just waited until April 1.

 

They’re really doing this. 

[Chen G. 6,149]

1 minute ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

They’re really doing this. 

 

Oh, I agree. There was also a column in The Times about Colbert and how he really means it.

 

By coincidence I think Colbert's earlier dip into Lord of the Rings - the Darrylgorn spoof - is delightful:

 

 

[BloodBoal 8,716]

21 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

A part of me still hopes its a Forgotten Silver/Son of Kong prank, but I doubt it.

 

We are living in the prank.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

It’s an ego wank Chen.

[bollemanneke 4,332]

How many box office bombs do these people need before realising they just MIGHT be better off with something new?

[Tallguy 7,387]

Bullroarer Took -The Epic Film.

[BloodBoal 8,716]

My Little Pony (or What Happened To Bill After The Mines Of Moria)

[Edmilson 12,393]

6 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

How many box office bombs do these people need before realising they just MIGHT be better off with something new?

Not even box office bombs are enough to stop Hollywood from milking known IP. For example, there hasn't been a well received Terminator movie since T2 in 1991 and one that was successful at the box office since T3 in 2003. Yet, they keep insisting on making more Terminator. They think "maybe this time it will work if we set it in the future, or reboot the entire series, or bring Cameron back as producer..."

[Tallguy 7,387]

Sarah Connor Chronicles was awesome.

[Nick1Ø66 8,341]

On 30/3/2026 at 3:01 AM, BloodBoal said:

My Little Pony (or What Happened To Bill After The Mines Of Moria)

 

Genius. By bringing in the Bronies, Colbert & Jackson can effectively double the MEEU fanbase.

[Smeltington 2,018]

One week later, I still can't accept that this movie is happening.  

[Yavar Moradi 4,416]

On 25/03/2026 at 9:06 AM, Edmilson said:

Honestly, Jackson should go back to doing Beatles documentaries. 

 

No! Where is my promised Tintin sequel, dammit?! Hell, John Williams is still scoring films...

Yavar

[Quintus 6,516]

He's another bone idle fatty like George Martin (nothing to do with The Beatles).