Stephen Colbert Reveals How Bill Hader Inspired His ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie Plan

Stephen Colbert recently surprised the entertainment world by revealing his next major professional chapter following his departure from late-night television. The comedian has officially signed on to co-write a new installment in the beloved Middle-earth saga alongside filmmaker Peter Jackson.

While Colbert has never hidden his intense passion for the franchise, he recently credited a fellow comedian for inspiring the unconventional way he chose to navigate his career transition. During an appearance on the 300th episode of the Smartless podcast, which was released on April 6, Colbert spoke with hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes about his post-CBS plans.

Although the recording took place just days before the official film announcement, Colbert spoke cryptically about following the example set by Bill Hader after his exit from Saturday Night Live. He recalled being impressed when Hader chose to join the writing staff of South Park rather than immediately chasing a starring vehicle.

Colbert explained that he admired the idea of stepping away from the spotlight to support a project he genuinely loved. During the interview, he recalled a specific moment at the Emmys when he shared his thoughts with Hader directly.

He told the hosts, “I’ll tell you, the person who did the thing I most admire — I mean, not most admire, but the thing that really struck me is, you know what Hader did when he left ‘SNL’? He went and wrote for ‘South Park’ for a season.” The veteran host went on to explain that his own philosophy for the future involves being of service to creators whose work he respects.

“See, can I be of service to people who I really, whose work I really admire? I thought that’s a great thing to do,” Colbert remarked. “Don’t even worry about your status of your previous gig. Just go do something you love.” Shortly after this discussion, the public learned that Colbert’s labor of love would be the upcoming feature, The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.

The new film is set over a decade after the events of the original trilogy and follows Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they revisit the early paths of their journey. The plot centers on Sam’s daughter, Elanor, who stumbles upon a hidden truth regarding the War of the Ring.

Colbert is collaborating on the script with his son, Peter McGee, and longtime franchise writer Philippa Boyens. During his podcast chat, he defended the quality of the original films to a skeptical Jason Bateman, stating, “‘The Lord of the Rings,’ that trilogy is generally considered, among the cognoscenti in this world, to be the perfect trilogy. It’s perfectly executed.”

As Colbert prepares to sign off from The Late Show next month after thirteen years, CBS has already named Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen as the temporary replacement for his time slot, starting May 22.

Fans of the Tolkien universe are eagerly awaiting casting news for Shadow of the Past, though it has been confirmed that several original actors are in talks to return via digital de-aging technology or in older roles.

The project represents a rare opportunity to transition from a fan to a creator within the world that has defined much of his personal life. He remains focused on finishing his final weeks at the Ed Sullivan Theater with a series of high-profile guest appearances.

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