Stephen Colbert grows Scripto, his screenwriting software co-founded with Rob Dubbin, used for 'Lord of the Rings' script; calls it 'dream job: Tech Oligarch'

Stephen Colbert is taking his screenwriting software, Scripto, to new heights after his tenure on *The Late Show*. Co-founded with Rob Dubbin, Scripto emerged from frustrations with existing scriptwriting tools, particularly after a costly incident involving an $800 goat on *The Colbert Report*.¹²

Colbert's vision for Scripto is to enhance collaboration among writers, allowing multiple users to work on scripts simultaneously. The software, which auto-saves and integrates with various production tools, has already attracted users from major shows like *Saturday Night Live* and *The Daily Show*. Colbert stated, “I saw what it did for my company and I want everyone to do it.”³

With $5 million in seed funding from notable investors including J.J. Abrams and Mark Cuban, Colbert aims to expand Scripto's reach in Hollywood. He recently hired Josh Kline, former chief strategy officer for Final Draft, as CEO to help realize this goal. Colbert expressed his excitement, saying, “Back on *The Colbert Report* days, Rob Dubbin and I had a little dream of trying to make our job easier.”⁴⁵

Despite considering selling the software during the 2023 writers' strike, Colbert chose to focus on growth instead. He remains open to other opportunities but is currently dedicated to making Scripto a staple in the industry.