{"id":631961,"date":"2026-05-09T01:19:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T01:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/631961\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T01:19:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T01:19:12","slug":"stephen-colbert-shrugs-off-lotr-fan-backlash-over-new-film-writing-role","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/631961\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Colbert shrugs off LOTR fan backlash over new film writing role"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Late-night host Stephen Colbert<\/a> shrugged off condemnation from “Lord of the Rings” fans who are upset he will be taking the helm of an upcoming movie.<\/p>\n

Colbert has spoken out<\/a>\u00a0about the cancellation of “The Late Show” in multiple interviews \u2014 most recently with The Hollywood Reporter \u2014 which also highlighted the next steps of his career.<\/p>\n

“If there is a silver lining to Colbert\u2019s unexpected ouster, it\u2019s that he is now able to be intimately involved in co-writing an installment of the Lord of the Rings film franchise,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote. “The project is already six years in the making and a lifelong dream for the self-proclaimed superfan.”<\/p>\n

STEPHEN COLBERT’S SURPRISING NEXT ACT AFTER ‘THE LATE SHOW’ ENDS: CO-WRITING A ‘LORD OF THE RINGS’ FILM<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Stephen <\/p>\n

Stephen Colbert accepts the Outstanding Talk Series award for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles on Sept. 14, 2025. (Valerie Macon\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ve announced your next act: a Lord of the Rings film. Naturally, there\u2019s a contingent of the LOTR fan community that\u2019s miffed: ‘Why does Stephen get to write this? Just because he\u2019s famous and a superfan?'” The Hollywood Reporter interviewer asked. “Tell them why they should trust you.”<\/p>\n

“I mean, there\u2019s no reason to,” Colbert said. “And there\u2019s no value in me addressing that because all you can do as \u2014 I\u2019ll use a loaded term here \u2014 an artist is follow your heart and the craft that you have learned to try to turn this into something that is not fandom but drama.”<\/p>\n

“And luckily, I don\u2019t have to do this alone,” he continued. “I have a great Sherpa in [co-writer and LOTR veteran] Philippa Boyens, who cares about it in the same way I do. And I will just say that every moment has been a joy so far.”<\/p>\n

STEPHEN COLBERT HAD LEFT-WING JOURNALISTS, HOSTS ON ‘THE LATE SHOW’ MORE THAN 200 TIMES<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Ian <\/p>\n

Ian McKellen appears as Gandalf in a scene from “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” which stars Elijah Wood as Frodo and is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book. (New Line\/WireImage\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Colbert initially revealed in a video announcement in March that he will co-write the next “Lord of the Rings” movie after his show ends this month.<\/p>\n

“You know what the books mean to me and what your films mean to me, but the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in the ‘Fellowship’ that y\u2019all never developed into the first movie back in the day,” Colbert said in a video<\/a> with Peter Jackson, the director of the “Lord of the Rings” movies.<\/p>\n

Colbert said the next film would be based on “Fog on the Barrow-downs,” chapter eight of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first book in the fantasy trilogy from J.R.R. Tolkien.<\/p>\n

The series written by Tolkien, a devout Catholic, became a popular franchise with conservatives<\/a>. Some on the left, including MS NOW anchor Rachel Maddow, have even claimed the work has been embraced by the “far-right.”<\/a><\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Owain <\/p>\n

Owain Arthur and Sophia Nomvete appear in a scene from “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” (Amazon Studios via AP)<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n

Some fans argue they have good reason to be concerned about new “Lord of the Rings” content. Amazon\u2019s “Rings of Power” series, notably separate from Jackson’s film adaptations, was widely criticized<\/a> as a modern, liberal take on the classic literature.<\/p>\n

Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.<\/p>\n