Hollywood just cannot quit milking Middle-earth, but this news almost seems spiteful and tone-deaf, much like Rings of Power. According to Variety, Warner Bros. has decided that what the Lord of the Rings franchise really needs is late-night host Stephen Colbert and his son joining the next film project. Because when you think “epic fantasy,” you obviously think of a guy who spent ten years cracking political jokes on basic cable.
The studio unveiled the plan Tuesday night, for Tolkien Reading Day, complete with director Peter Jackson promoting his next adventure, The Hunt for Gollum, set to hit theaters in 2027. Jackson smiled, said the script is coming along, and then revealed his “special partner” for a follow-up movie called The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past. Turns out, that partner is Colbert. Because nothing says Tolkien like the host of CBS’s The Late Show zooming in to talk about hobbits.
Colbert appeared by video, declaring that he’s been a Tolkien fan forever, which is good because he’s about to need all the credibility he can get. He explained that his pitch draws from early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring that didn’t make it into Jackson’s 2001 movie. He highlighted sections like “Three Is Company” and “Fog on the Barrow Downs,” arguing they deserve their own story. He asked whether it’s possible to stay true to the books while keeping the Jackson tone. Apparently, Warner Bros. thought that sounded like a million-dollar idea. It feels like Hollywood has been butter scraped over too much bread.”
In honor of Tolkien Reading Day and the destruction of the One Ring, we bring you a special announcement. pic.twitter.com/ufh9RLBIxO
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) March 25, 2026
Colbert and his son Peter McGee developed that idea into a full-blown project, complete with a framing device, whatever that means in this context. They brought it to Jackson, and after two years of development, longtime collaborator Philippa Boyens came aboard to turn it into a script. So now, the man who once danced with Jon Stewart is co-writing an epic about magical rings and hairy-footed farmers saving the world. I can only hope Warner Bros. will remember that “even the smallest idea can change the course of the future—or ruin a legacy.”
The new story takes place years after Frodo’s famous hike to Mordor. This time, Sam, Merry, and Pippin decide to retrace their old route while Sam’s daughter stumbles upon a secret left over from the War of the Ring. It sounds familiar because it is. Instead of pushing Middle-earth forward, we’re going back over the same hills, digging through Tolkien’s leftovers, and this time through the eyes of a “strong, female protagonist” because that’s all fans ever wanted. Just look at how well Rings of Power is doing…
The one bright spot here is at least Boyens knows what she’s doing. She co-wrote the original Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit films with Jackson and Fran Walsh. Those movies delivered 17 Oscars, including 11 for The Return of the King. That kind of résumé almost guarantees expectations no one can meet. Fans remember what brilliance looks like, and they won’t forgive half-measures.
This marks Colbert’s first venture into blockbuster writing. He did pop up briefly in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and helped Jackson with a short film called Darrylgorn, but fans know him for political monologues and bad jokes, not myth-making. That background will rile audiences who prefer swords and sorcery to punchlines about politicians.
Stephen Colbert's Vomit-Inducing "The Vax-Scene" (Remastered to 4K/60fps) 👍 ✅ 🔔
Then there’s the timing. After the backlash to Amazon’s Rings of Power, trust in anything Tolkien-related is fragile. Now Warner Bros. is inviting a polarizing talk show host to co-pilot one of fantasy’s holiest franchises. It’s either a bold play or an act of self-sabotage. Take your pick.
They’re chasing that ‘precious’ Tolkien magic one more time, and fans can already smell the risk. The studio seems convinced that digging up Tolkien’s thrown-away content and leaning on familiar names will win fans over. Maybe it works. Maybe it just reminds everyone that Hollywood ran out of ideas somewhere around the time Frodo first left the Shire. Either way, the move reeks of desperation dressed as nostalgia and stunts. For a world built on courage and conviction, Middle-earth sure feels a lot like show business these days.
***
English (US) · 