Stephen Colbert has provided a new update on his upcoming Lord of the Rings movie after winning an Emmy with The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The comedian revealed backstage at the 2026 Emmy Awards that his post-late-night career is currently focused heavily on writing the new Middle-earth project.
The film is being developed with Lord of the Rings veterans Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee, with Colbert having previously confirmed that the story draws from material in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original novel that was not included in Peter Jackson’s first movie adaptation.
Stephen Colbert Says Lord of the Rings Writing Is Keeping Him Busy
Speaking to reporters backstage after the Emmys, Colbert was asked what he planned to do next following the end of The Late Show. Rather than suggesting he was taking an extended break, he pointed directly to his current writing responsibilities.
“That’s what I’m doing,”
Colbert said when discussing his workload, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He then joked about the scale of the assignment, adding,
“You ever written a Lord of the Rings movie? It’s a full-time job.”
Colbert also revealed that he had only recently returned from New Zealand for the Emmy ceremony. His trip highlighted just how closely the new project is connected to the filmmaking team and production environment established by Jackson’s original trilogy.
Colbert previously explained that the project focuses on six chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring that were left out of Jackson’s 2001 adaptation. Those sections cover the early journey of Frodo and his companions before the story reaches the more familiar events of the theatrical film.
The movie is expected to follow Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in the franchise’s upcoming theatrical lineup. While major production details remain under wraps, Colbert’s latest comments confirm that the screenplay is actively moving forward rather than being a future project sitting on the sidelines.
Colbert’s update came on a significant night for him, as The Late Show won Outstanding Variety Series at the 2026 Emmys despite having ended its run earlier in the year.