[00:00] Peter Rowan: This is Neural Newscast.
[00:02] Isabel Moreno: Here is What Matters This Morning, Wednesday, March 25th, 2026.
[00:08] Peter Rowan: From Neural Newscasts, I am Peter Rowan.
[00:12] Isabel Moreno: And I am Isabel Moreno.
[00:14] Peter Rowan: A live-streamed comeback concert by K-pop megastars, BTS, drew 18.4 million global viewers on Netflix this weekend.
[00:24] Peter Rowan: That is according to data provided by the streaming service.
[00:28] Isabel Moreno: The one-hour program marked the first time all seven members have performed together since October 2022.
[00:35] Isabel Moreno: That was when the group went on hiatus for military service.
[00:39] Peter Rowan: The concert in Seoul's Guanghaman Square was a massive digital success.
[00:45] Peter Rowan: However, shares in the group's agency, HIB, fell by over 15% on Monday morning.
[00:52] Isabel Moreno: Attendance at the square reached about 104,000 people.
[00:56] Isabel Moreno: This was significantly lower than the 260,000 spectators anticipated by South Korean authorities.
[01:03] Peter Rowan: The broadcast topped Netflix rankings in 24 countries.
[01:07] Peter Rowan: It represents another major step in the platform's recent move into live event broadcasting.
[01:15] Isabel Moreno: This event also kicks off a sold-out 82-day world tour.
[01:19] Isabel Moreno: Billboard expects the tour will help generate more than $1 billion in total revenue.
[01:24] Peter Rowan: Security was extremely tight during the performance.
[01:27] Peter Rowan: The government deployed 7,000 police officers and SWAT units equipped with anti-drones systems.
[01:35] Isabel Moreno: While we are seeing massive engagement in the music industry,
[01:38] Isabel Moreno: the landscape of American late-night television and film is also undergoing a major shift.
[01:44] Peter Rowan: In entertainment news, Stephen Colbert has announced he will co-write a new film in the Lord of the Rings franchise.
[01:53] Isabel Moreno: The project is tentatively titled Shadow of the Past.
[01:57] Isabel Moreno: It will be produced by Peter Jackson and focuses on unadapted chapters from the original books.
[02:02] Peter Rowan: Colbert revealed that the story will follow the characters Sam, Mary, and Pippin.
[02:10] Peter Rowan: It also features a secret discovered by Sam's daughter, Eleanor.
[02:15] Isabel Moreno: The announcement comes as Colbert prepares to end his 11-year run as the host of the Late Show on May 21st.
[02:23] Peter Rowan: CBS decided to cancel the program earlier this year, citing financial pressure.
[02:29] Peter Rowan: the move has faced criticism for being potentially politically motivated.
[02:35] Isabel Moreno: It is interesting that Colbert is using his lifelong passion for Tolkien
[02:39] Isabel Moreno: to breach the gap as he leaves the network this summer.
[02:42] Peter Rowan: This will be the second of two upcoming films in the franchise.
[02:47] Peter Rowan: It follows the hunt for Gollum, which is expected in late 2027.
[02:53] Isabel Moreno: Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed they are moving forward with development.
[02:57] Isabel Moreno: They are joining forces with New Line Cinema for the production.
[03:01] Peter Rowan: Here is what else we are watching.
[03:03] Peter Rowan: We start with the first leg of the BTS World Tour,
[03:07] Peter Rowan: which is expected to dominate global ticket sales.
[03:11] Isabel Moreno: The tour includes dates in 190 countries.
[03:15] Isabel Moreno: It remains the primary driver of Hibes' operating profit as the band returns from hiatus.
[03:21] Peter Rowan: Next, we are tracking the lead-up to the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,
[03:27] Peter Rowan: scheduled for May 21st on CBS.
[03:31] Isabel Moreno: Industry analysts are monitoring how this exit impacts late-night ratings
[03:36] Isabel Moreno: and the broader strategy for Paramount, the parent company of CBS.
[03:41] Peter Rowan: Finally, development continues on the hunt for Gollum.
[03:45] Peter Rowan: The film features Andy Circus returning as both the director and the title character.
[03:51] Isabel Moreno: That film is currently set for release on December 17, 2027.
[03:56] Isabel Moreno: It will explore the time period between The Hobbit and The Fellowship.
[04:00] Peter Rowan: This has been Neural Newscast.
[04:03] Peter Rowan: Thank you for listening.
[04:05] Peter Rowan: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[04:10] Peter Rowan: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.