Stephen Colbert To Co-Write New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie

Stephen Colbert, best known as host of The Late Show, is stepping into Middle‑earth with a new creative role. As his late‑night run concludes in 2026, Colbert will co‑write Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past, the latest film in Warner Bros. and New Line’s Tolkien franchise. A lifelong fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, Colbert joins Peter Jackson’s team to expand the cinematic world of Middle‑earth. The project marks a major career shift, blending Colbert’s passion for storytelling with his deep Tolkien knowledge, and signals a fresh chapter for the enduring Lord of the Rings saga.