Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ books and director Peter Jackson’s film adaptations are asking, ‘What is this new devilry?’ Inexplicably, late-night TV host and alleged comedian Stephen Colbert has been tapped to co-write the tentatively titled, ‘The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past.’
Variety reports:
[The film] will go into production after "The Hunt for Gollum." The synopsis: "Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo - Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began."
Colbert is co-writing the script with his son, Peter McGee, and franchise veteran Philippa Boyens.
Jackson and Colbert made this announcement in an online video. (WATCH)
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
Is this an out of season April Fools joke?
— WRLB🎥 (@WRLB2) March 25, 2026
Sadly, no. But an April 1 release date would be the cherry on top.
Veteran movie critic Chris Gore, who has seen his share of ill-conceived sequels, weighs in.
Hollywood finally found the bottom of the barrel.
— Chris Gore (@ThatChrisGore) March 25, 2026
Please how the hell this even happens?! How does someone like him even get considered????
— Valliant Renegade (@ValliantRenegad) March 25, 2026
“So… what are your qualifications, Mr. Colbert?”
— Vincent Charles: Roi De Tout, (Ret.) (@YesThatVCharles) March 25, 2026
“I had a cameo in ‘The Hobbit’!”
“YOU’RE HIRED!”
Worst idea since Crystal Pepsi…
Exactly. What movie did Stephen Colbert write that would convince you that he was up to the task?
— Chris Gore (@ThatChrisGore) March 25, 2026
Recommended
Here are Colbert’s writing credits.
Ugh.
Based on his screenwriting and TV history, LOTR fans are not enthused.
Producing content that too few people watch is Colbert's specialty in recent years, so they've got the right guy for this.
— David Gaw (@davidgaw) March 25, 2026
Oh I’m sure it will be just amazing. pic.twitter.com/ynFeyZXkhx
— Winston Smith (@nooooooooticer) March 25, 2026
yikes and double yikes pic.twitter.com/jdnS5O8j8X
— Morgan Rhinegelt (@rhinegelt) March 25, 2026
Yikes indeed!
One of Colbert’s defenders says he is known as something of a Tolkien scholar. Others point out that being knowledgeable of the lore does not necessarily translate into being able to write a good story.
Colbert knows more tolkien lore than most screenwriters so this might actually work.
— Signal Observer (@E0_DS0_Omega) March 25, 2026
A fan knowing every bit of Star Wars lore does not make them George Lucas.
— gosuprime (@gosuprime022) March 25, 2026
Nor does it give them ANY writing talent.
Except he’s alienated half the country so there’s that.
— Professor Nicholas P. Caffey 🇺🇸 (@npcaffey) March 25, 2026
Alienating a huge portion of your potential audience from the get-go is never a wise idea. Colbert is a polarizing figure.
Commenters already foresee their worst DEI nightmares springing from Colbert’s politically leftist pen.
"Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret..."
— Montana Rodes (@MontanaRodes) March 25, 2026
The girl who is the key to everything will be girl bossing all the way to Mordor.
Cannot wait to not watch this.
Can't wait for her to tell the old white man, Gandolf, to "Sit down and shut up, because a WOMAN is in charge now and she don't need no MAN telling her what to do!"
— Nick G. (@Nick_TopG) March 25, 2026
That was my first thought. And she’ll probably be inexplicably black for some reason.
— ᗰᗩᘜᘜIᗴ␈ (@MF_Ball) March 25, 2026
The “long buried secret” will be that the Hobbits, Dwarves and Elves all held racist views towards Orcs. The orcs just wanted their place and be tolerated in middle-earth.
— RyCiN (@RyCiN777) March 25, 2026
"Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why". Let me guess the adventures of the shire sisters going up against the new evil Trumpauron and his horde of MAGA orcs; something like that. pic.twitter.com/OSgnwvUfYq
— Chief DoubleDown (@DoubleDownChief) March 25, 2026
"Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret..."
— Mark Petereit (@mark_petereit) March 25, 2026
Let me guess: the long-buried secret is that she has a penis.
Will Elenor be tasked with cutting it off and tossing the dismembered member into Mount Doom?
Posters have a better story idea.
How about a LOtR movie where the Fellowship reunites to stop this movie from being made
— Paul Rossi, anti-maxxer (@pauldrossi) March 25, 2026
"Merry and Pippin Strike Back"?
— Matthew Berg (@wnyconservative) March 25, 2026
Second Breakfast: Heartburn after Reading
— Paul Rossi, anti-maxxer (@pauldrossi) March 25, 2026
Mrs. says, "I would watch that! A bunch of hobbits running through Hollywood? Oh, and get the Muppets involved, all to destroy this movie!"
— Good Guy With A Gun stories (@GGWAGonline) March 25, 2026
Now that’s a film we would love to see.