Stephen Colbert was tabbed to write the latest “Lord of the Rings” movie, the studio said Wednesday, seizing on the TV personality’s unexpected time off this upcoming summer.
Warner Bros. had “Rings” director Peter Jackson make the announcement in comedic fashion, speaking to a YouTube camera and telling fans he’d lined up “a very special partner that we’re working with” and you can see for yourself.
That’s when he appeared to pull up a video chat and a figure hiding behind a book, Colbert.
“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert said.
CBS announced last year that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was being taken off the air despite the program’s longtime critical acclaim. The last show is set for May 21.
The 10-time Emmy winner said he’s always wanted to partner with his screenwriter son Peter to ink a “Rings” script.
“And it took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile to give you a call,” Colbert said. “But about two years ago, I did. You liked it enough to talk to me about it.”
The CBS cancellation was the green light, Colbert said, he needed to dive into “Rings.”
“I knew I couldn’t do that and do the show at the same time,” he said. “But it turns out I’m going to be free starting this summer.”
Between 2001 and 2003, fans rushed to theaters for the original “Rings” trilogy before a trio of “Hobbit” movies hit screens from 2012 to 2014. There’s currently a “Hunt of Gollum” work in pre-production.
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