LOS ANGELES, March 25 (Reuters) - Stephen Colbert is

heading to Middle-earth.

The comedian announced in a video posted Tuesday that following

the end of his 11-year run as host of CBS's "The Late Show" in

May, he will co-write and develop a new film in the "Lord of the

Rings" franchise.

It marks a new chapter for Colbert, a noted devotee of

J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth. Colbert

appears in the video alongside Peter Jackson, the New

Zealand-born filmmaker who directed the original "Lord of the

Rings" trilogy that was a critical and commercial smash.

The film's current working title is "Lord of the Rings:

Shadow of the Past," according to a press release. A director

has not been announced.

"I'm pretty happy about it," Colbert says to Jackson in the

clip. "You know what the books mean to me and what your films

mean to me."

Colbert will develop the film with his son, screenwriter

Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens, one of the original trilogy's

screenwriters.

The project will be the second of two upcoming "Lord of the

Rings" films currently in development at Warner Bros Discovery ( WBD )

and New Line Cinema. The first, "The Lord of the Rings:

The Hunt for Gollum," is currently in pre-production.

Tolkein's epic fantasy was published in three parts in 1954

and 1955 in the UK. It remains one of fantasy's most popular

stories and one of the best-selling novels ever written.

Jackson's trilogy grossed more than $2.9 billion worldwide

and 2003's third installment, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return

of the King," won numerous accolades, including the Academy

Award for best picture. He followed a decade later with a

trilogy of prequels based on Tolkien's 1937 novel, "The

Hobbit."

CBS announced in July 2025 that it would cancel the Emmy-winning

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," the most-watched

late-night program on U.S. broadcast television and a frequent

platform for satire aimed at President Donald Trump, who has

criticized the network and other late-night hosts for their

humor targeting him.

On February 27, Paramount Skydance ( PSKY ), the parent of

CBS, signed a $110 billion deal to buy Warner Bros Discovery ( WBD )

that will bring together numerous studio assets and Warner Bros'

library of film franchises including Harry Potter, Lord of the

Rings and Superman.