[Mithadan]

While Colbert's plan involves "a new adventure for Sam, Merry and Pippin 14 years after the passing of Frodo," what I've seen elsewhere is that he will use a journey involving the Hobbits as a framing device to explore matters from the first six chapters of FoTR and why the War of the Ring happened. I saw an interview with him where he specifically mentions Fog on the Barrow-Downs. That said, I am not clear on exactly what the story will be.

The production involves Warner Brothers and Philippa Boyens, indicating a New Line link. It's been a while since I paid attention to the licensing of Tolkien's work, but this one seems to derive from Tolkien's conveyance of rights to United Artists, then to Saul Zaentz which then went to Tolkien Enterprises and subsequently to New Line. The License to New Line was either limited or non-exclusive, and similar rights were then conveyed to Embracer. The rights conveyed were only to The Hobbit and the main text of LoTR, but not the appendices or any of his other unpublished writings. Amazon acquired the rights to the appendices from the Tolkien Estate, thus The Rings of Power.

Colbert is, by reputation, a real Middle Earth fan. But, then again, so was Bezos, by reputation. All said, I am willing to keep an open mind. Then again, I'm a real fan and I've even written fan fiction. Wait a minute... (consults address book for movie industry contacts).