Stephen Colbert’s love of all things J.R.R. Tolkien is no secret – the funnyman has used “The Lord of the Rings” figurines to explain the debt ceiling crisis on his show, and shown off his prized possession, Aragorn’s sword, to his audiences.
“The Colbert Report” host even made a trip to New Zealand to visit Peter Jackson, and now, the director of the famed “LOTR” trilogy and upcoming “The Hobbit” trilogy has bestowed a title upon Stephen that will have Middle Earth nerds seething with envy.
“I have never met a bigger Tolkien geek in my life,” Peter told Entertainment Weekly, when asked about Stephen’s devotion to the fantasy works. “Philippa Boyens is our resident Tolkien expert, and when Stephen came down to visit the set, we put him head to head with Philippa on a Tolkien quiz—and Stephen triumphed.
“I have to say, his encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien is spectacular, and points to a deprived childhood in some respects,” he jokingly added.
As for rumors claiming Stephen will get to live out his ultimate Tolkien fantasy by making a cameo in the first “Hobbit” film, Peter played coy.
“I read that, too — it was very, very interesting,” Peter said with a laugh, when asked if Stephen would indeed make an appearance. “It’s yet to be confirmed or denied.”
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” (the first film in the trilogy) which stars Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom, is set to hit theaters on December 14.
“The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” arrives December 13, 2013 and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” is set for theatrical release on July 18, 2014.
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.