‘Lord of the Rings’ Fans Are Divided on Stephen Colbert’s Upcoming Film in the Franchise
Stephen Colbert’s post-Late Show career will include a new addition to the Lord of the Rings world. Colbert is a massive fan of the series and has spoken often about his obsession with the books and films. Many fans believe that this makes him a solid choice to write a film. Still, there are others who feel apprehension about the announcement.
Stephen Colbert is writing a new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie
Colbert, a famous Tolkien fan, will write a new Lord of the Rings movie with his son. The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past will follow Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took on a new adventure 14 years after the passing of Frodo Baggins.
“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert told director Peter Jackson (per AP). “But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in (The Fellowship of the Ring) that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. I thought: ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?’”
He admitted to feeling nervous about contacting Jackson about his idea, but he’s happy he did.
“It took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile to give you a call, but about two years ago I did,” he said. “You liked it enough to talk to me about it, and ever since then, the two of us have been working with the brilliant Philippa Boyens on how to develop this story.”
Fans of the series have mixed feelings about the new film
While some Lord of the Rings fans are happy to spend more time in the fictional world, others aren’t sure about more films. Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, another installment, will come out in 2027.
“I don’t think these made up follow ups should be allowed at all,” wrote one Reddit user. “It diminishes what we have and disrespects the legacy of Tolkien in the pursuit of profit.”
Other people weren’t sure if Colbert’s comedy chops qualify him to write a Lord of the Rings film.
“Has Colbert ever written anything aside from television sketches?” wrote one person. “Also, how in the world are they turning Fog on the Barrow-Downs into a feature length film? We thought Hunt for Gollum was reaching for scraps…”
Others disagreed, though. They feel that Colbert’s obsession with the series will only benefit the film.
“To his credit he’s probably one of the biggest vocal Tolkien Stans in the television realm, and has a lot of respect for the works,” another person wrote. “I can’t speak for his writing ability, but I don’t think he’d take in such a project strictly for the money. I’d like to think he can be trusted enough to give it a chance.”
“Possibly one of the most famous Tolkien nerds out there,” one person added. “This is exciting.”
Peter Jackson said Stephen Colbert is the biggest ‘Lord of the Rings’ fan he’s ever seen
In the years since making the Lord of the Rings films, Jackson has likely met hundreds of fans of the series. He said he has never met a bigger fan than Colbert.
“I have never met a bigger Tolkien geek in my life,” Jackson said (per Variety). “His encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien is spectacular, and points to a deprived childhood in some respects.”
Colbert previously worked with Jackson when he made a cameo in the 2013 film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
