The chapters in question aren’t that pivotal — it’s why Jackson was able to remove them for the sake of Fellowship‘s runtime — but they do feature several J.R.R. Tolkien characters not seen in the films, along with a tense conflict with a Barrow-wight. The newly announced LOTR movie is already dividing fans, but one upside is that we could see these supporting players woven into Warner Bros.’ franchise at long last. Some aren’t tremendously important, but others play significant roles in Frodo’s story, despite being removed from it.
6) Tolman “Tom” Cotton
Image via New Line Cinema
Tom Cotton is absent from the Lord of the Rings movies, and Sam marries his daughter at the end of it, but we don’t actually see the hobbit. That’s a shame, as he’s a useful ally to Frodo in Tolkien’s book, and he plays an active role in the Battle of Bywater. We won’t see that in Colbert’s film, but there’s a chance we’ll get to get to meet or hear more about Tom thanks to his granddaughter. With Colbert’s film focusing on Sam’s family, it’s a possibility for the future timeline, even if he’s not in the chapters being adapted. It’s unlikely he’ll play a large role, however, landing him at the bottom of this list.
5) Farmer Maggot
Image via New Line Cinema
Farmer Maggot isn’t cut completely from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, but his role is significantly reduced. We’ll get to know him better in Colbert’s film, as Frodo, Sam, and Pippin eat dinner at his home during one of the chapters being adapted. He also escorts them to the Bucklebury Ferry after. It’s not a huge part by any means, but he proves an ally at the start of the hobbits’ journey. It will also paint him in a kinder light than the prior adaptation.
4) Goldberry
During the Fellowship chapters Colbert’s movie plans to adapt, the hobbits are taken in by Tom Bombadil and his wife, Goldberry. Neither character appears in Jackson’s trilogy, but they made their on-screen debut in The Rings of Power Season 2 back in 2024. And now, they’ll make their way to the Warner Bros. franchise for the first time. Both are mysterious figures that the upcoming film can expand on, and both offer Frodo and his friends shelter and care. Goldberry is more on the sidelines, however, at least compared to her husband. Colbert’s LOTR movie will be a chance for Tom Bombadil to shine, but unless Goldberry’s role is expanded, she won’t top the list in terms of importance. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what the movie does with the spirit.
3) Fredegar “Fatty” Bolger
Sam, Merry, and Pippin are known for their loyalty to Frodo throughout The Lord of the Rings, but movie fans may not realize their friend group includes another hobbit: Fatty Bolger. He’s present during the early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring, and his blink-and-miss-it appearance in the film hardly does that justice. Like Sam, Merry, and Pippin, he’s also aware of Frodo’s mission — but he helps his friend by staying behind.
In the source material, Frodo sells Bag End and purchases another house to keep up appearances. Hoping to keep his journey a secret, he uses this as an excuse to leave the Shire. Fatty Bolger remains in Crickhollow after the other four hobbits depart, maintaining Frodo’s home so that it seems like he’s living there. It’s an important role that aids Frodo’s success, but it’s overlooked in the original movies. As it won’t take up much screentime, even in Colbert’s film, he’s not the most important character making an entrance. However, he’s between the middle and top of the list.
2) The Barrow-wight
Image via Prime Video
The key conflict of Colbert’s film should be the kidnapping of Frodo and his friends by a Barrow-wight, an undead creature that’s cut from the original adaptations. Although Tolkien doesn’t offer much characterization for the Barrow-wight from the beginning of Fellowship, it will serve as an antagonist in The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. Unless the movie introduces new obstacles, it will be the main challenge the characters need to overcome. That makes it one of the most important players in this particular film, even if it’s not the most influential in the grand scheme of things. The only character who will be even more crucial to this story is the one who gets rid of the Barrow-wight — and gets the hobbits back on the right path more than once.
1) Tom Bombadil
The star of The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past is undoubtedly going to be Tom Bombadil, who will make his first appearance on the big screen in the upcoming film. Tolkien’s most mysterious character, Tom aids the hobbits multiple times at the beginning of their journey — and he’s the one who saves them from the Barrow-wight, making him the hero of these specific chapters. It also makes him a pivotal player in the One Ring’s destruction, as Frodo wouldn’t have made it very far without his involvement. The Rings of Power brought Tom Bombadil to the screen before, but it’ll be interesting to see if Colbert’s movie approaches the character differently.
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