Peter Jackson told Deadline at the Cannes Film Festival, where he received an honorary "Palme d'Or," that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have held initial talks with the Tolkien Estate about adapting works from the First Age of Middle-earth. The discussions center on "The Silmarillion" and "Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth."
For many years, these books remained inaccessible to the film industry. Christopher Tolkien opposed attempts to bring his father's additional texts to the screen, but now a new generation of the family manages the legacy. According to Jackson, these individuals are "more open to conversation."
If the negotiations are successful, Warner Bros. will gain access to the events of the First Age: the wars of the Elves with Morgoth, the Fall of Gondolin, the tale of Beren and Lúthien, and the tragedy of the Children of Húrin. These are stories Tolkien fans have dreamed of seeing on the big screen for decades.
For now, fans must await the third season of "The Rings of Power," premiering on November 11, 2026, and Andy Serkis's film "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," which will be released on December 17, 2027.
Also in development is "The Lord of the Rings: The Shadow of the Past" – a film about the Fourth Age, with a screenplay being written by Stephen Colbert alongside Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee. According to preliminary information, the plot will be connected to Sam's daughter, Elanor. Other details are not yet available.