# Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings Project Still in Development

> Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings movie still in development after Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
- Title: Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings Project Still in…
- Summary: Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings movie still in development after Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past…
- Keywords: stephen colbert, lord of the rings, shadows of the past, paramount, warner bros, skydance, peter jackson, philippa boyens, the late show, peter mcgee, warner bros merger, gaming
- Source: Polygon — https://polygon.com/stephen-colbert-lord-of-the-rings-shadows-of-the-past-still-in-development-skydance
- Author: Francesco Cacciatore
- Published: 2026-10-05T08:58:50+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: stephen colbert, lord of the rings, shadows of the past, paramount, warner bros, skydance, peter jackson, philippa boyens, the late show, peter mcgee, warner bros merger, gaming
## Rumors of pause
On Oct. 4, rumors emerged that Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings project was paused due to Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
## Project announced
In March 2026, Peter Jackson announced a Lord of the Rings movie project with Stephen Colbert and screenwriter Peter McGee.
## Project greenlit
Philippa Boyens joined the project, tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, which got green light from New Line and Warner Bros.
## Merger rumors
The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger sparked rumors about Skydance projects, but Shadows of the Past remains unaffected.
## Status update
Warner Bros. confirmed to Knight Edge Media that the project is not canceled and remains in development.
## Next movie
The Hunt for Gollum will hit theaters on Dec. 17, 2027, directed by Andy Serkis.
## Key takeaway

Stephen Colbert's Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past remains in development despite Paramount-Warner Bros. merger rumors.