The Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood commented on whether he might appear in Stephen Colbert's new adaptation, Shadows of the Past. The Late Night host has long been a fan of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and revealed that he, his son, Peter McGee, and original LOTR scribe Philippa Boyens are writing a new movie in the franchise. The film would focus on the previously unadapted chapter "Fogs on the Barrow-downs," meaning it will also likely involve the return of the Lord of the Rings cast.
Warner Bros. only confirmed development of Colbert's Lord of the Rings film in March 2026, but IMDb already listed cast members Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd (the four original Hobbits) as being attached. However, IMDb listings aren't always accurate, so The Direct asked Wood for clarification during an interview promoting his new animated show, Among Us.
Wood seemed to know nothing about his listing on IMDb, clarifying, "We're not there yet." The star explained that Colbert's film is intended to cover the chapters skipped in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which he said were cut because they "would have killed momentum:"
"Okay. Well, it hasn't.. We're not there yet… But listen, I think the implication is that the stories that Stephen [Colbert] wants to tell, which are the six chapters that were not committed to film in Fellowship of the Ring, largely because they would have slowed the process of the journey down, because when he leaves Bag End and the Shire, and he has to get to Bree, if it had gone the meandering way that it does in the books, it just would have taken a long time to get to Bree, and… it would have killed momentum."
Wood added that Colbert's adaptation is set to "include all those characters" and that he would be returning as Frodo "certainly in theory" should the movie get greenlit. The actor also expressed his confidence in Colbert: "It's in the best Tolkien scholarly hands:"
"But I think the idea of telling the story of what happens in those six chapters is really exciting, and I think really exciting for fans, and I think what Stephen and his son have crafted and what they're working through is really rich and interesting, and it certainly includes all those characters. So, a script has to be written, we have to go through a process and read it, and it has to get a green light and all those things, but certainly in theory, yeah. And I'm beyond thrilled that it's Stephen and his son doing it. It’s in the best Tolkien scholarly hands."
Original director Peter Jackson and original producer Fran Walsh are also attached as producers on The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past. The film has not yet been greenlit, so it does not have a release date.
Will Elijah Wood Return as Frodo Baggins?
Elijah Wood's answer makes it clear that he could return in The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, and he seems genuinely open to it, but it depends on the script's development.
What's interesting is that the first reported synopsis for The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past (per Deadline) says the film would be a sequel, taking place "14 years after the passing of Frodo," suggesting Wood may not be needed in the new film. But with the movie intended to adapt those missing chapters from The Lord of the Rings, with Sam, Merry, and Pippin "[retracing] the first steps of their adventure," it seems Frodo could still be involved in the story through flashbacks:
"The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past is set 14 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 Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past may not be the only opportunity for Wood to return as Frodo, as the actor is also listed as part of The Lord of the Rings: Hunt for Gollum, another prequel film directed by Andy Serkis. Taking place in the years before The Fellowship of the Ring, the movie is focused on Serkis' character, Gollum,
Wood previously confirmed the synopsis of the new Lord of the Rings movie, with it "following Gollum and the backstory of Smeagol," as well as "[the] Rangers who have been tasked to track him," which includes Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn (who is likely to be recast in the film).
It's unclear how much Frodo Baggins would be involved in this story, but Wood has teased that Hunt for Gollum has "so many cameos." Despite over 20 years having passed since Wood and his co-stars became famous for their Lord of the Rings roles, the franchise has endured and is now starting to come full circle, with the actors having the opportunity to return to their most iconic roles.
