When Warner Bros. announced that Stephen Colbert would co-write The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past with Philippa Boyens and his son Peter McGee, the fan reaction was… complicated.Nobody doubts Colbert’s Tolkien bona fides. The man can recite Elvish genealogies from memory, had a cameo in The Desolation of Smaug, and co-directed the 2019 short Darrylgorn with Jackson himself. His love for Middle-earth is genuine, deep, and well-no documented. We covered the announcement.
So why the backlash? Because Colbert’s Tolkien knowledge isn’t what fans are worried about. It’s his brand.
Stephen Colbert. Photo: Philip Romano (CC BY 4.0)
The Polarization Problem
Over the past decade, Colbert has become one of the most politically divisive figures in American entertainment. His late-night show has taken an aggressive, partisan editorial stance that has alienated half the country.
Tolkien’s legendarium has been one of the rare neutral zones in culture for 70 years. It’s been embraced by conservatives and progressives, Catholics and atheists, scholars and casual readers. The books don’t explicitly belong to one political tribe necessarily—though I certainly believe that you can read it with a clearer if you make an effort to understand Tolkiens Catholic Christian mindset.
The concern isn’t “Can Colbert write faithful Tolkien lore?” It’s “Will Colbert’s political association taint Middle-earth for a significant portion of the potential audience before they even see the film?”
When Art Gets a Brand Problem
Before Shadow of the Past releases a single frame, a chunk of potential viewers will already be predisposed against it — not because of the story, but because of who’s attached. That’s a problem for any franchise, but especially for one trying to rebuild goodwill after The Rings of Power divided the fanbase.
We’re not saying Colbert can’t write it. We’re asking: was this the right choice for a franchise that needs to unite fans, not give them another reason to split into camps
