The Incomer Director And Star Talk About Their Great Lord Of The Rings Moment And Avoiding Being Sued [Exclusive]

2026 has seen plenty of excellent films released, both on the big screen and on streaming services at home (though there are considerably fewer in the latter category). However, while films like "Project Hail Mary" or "The Odyssey" or "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" get ample exposure, there are many more low key movies that deserve your attention too.

One of those movies is "The Incomer," a quirky comedy from Scottish filmmaker Louis Paxton that made its debut as one of the best movies of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, and it's coming to theaters starting on September 25, 2026. 

The story follows a government employee named Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson), tasked with relocating adult siblings Isla and Sandy (Gayle Rankin and Grant O'Rourke), who have been living alone on a remote Scottish island for 30 years, after their parents disappeared. When Daniel arrives, he's met with hostility, as the brother and sister duo grew up fearing the mainland and refuse to leave their home. What unfolds is a raucously hilarious movie in the same vein as the early work of filmmaker Taika Waititi. Here's the trailer:

During the film, Daniel tries to explain to Isla and Sandy that the mainland isn't so bad, telling them about various foods that are better than eating nearby seagulls, as well as the wonders of the internet. But one of Daniel's most triumphant moments comes when he tells a bedtime story to the siblings. Attempting to make his day job a little more exciting, he borrows more than a few elements from "The Lord of the Rings" to tell a story called "The Lord of the Local Authority," and since Daniel is a bit of a tabletop gaming and fantasy nerd himself, he acts out the story with plenty of enthusiasm and exuberance.

However, as we learned in recent interviews with both actor Domhnall Gleeson and filmmaker Louis Paxton, telling this hilarious version of "Lord of the Rings" required some very careful writing and improvisation in order to avoid legal trouble.

Though "The Lord of the Rings" is what ended up being the primary inspiration for this blend of government bureaucracy and fantasy, Paxton said that they considered a couple other major franchise options, but they ran into one key problem:

"When we were talking about the stories that he would tell the islanders, obviously we went with 'Lord of the Rings' in the end, but there were periods where we were trying to figure out how we could do that and not get sued. And so we were looking at alternate ideas like 'Star Wars' and Harry Potter, and then we were like, 'But he's in them, so it's quite difficult.' It becomes way too meta. So 'Lord of the Rings' felt like the way to go in the end."

Indeed, Gleeson played Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise, as well as the villainous Admiral Hux in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy that began with "The Force Awakens." But you won't spot him in "The Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit" franchises.

However, settling on "The Lord of the Rings" is one thing, and actually executing it is another. As Paxton recalled:

"The tricky thing is you want it to be recognizable so that you as the audience know exactly that he's talking about 'Lord of the Rings.' And then you want the joy of seeing him frame these iconic moments like, 'You shall not pass,' or whatever. But if we were to say word for word what happened, then you are essentially, you're liable to legal action by not just The Tolkien Estate, but Amazon, who are two big players."

As Gleeson remembered, the script called for a basic retelling of "Lord of the Rings" from Daniel:

"Originally, it was just the 'Lord of the Rings.' He just told the 'Lord of the Rings.' And then it was like, 'No, you can't.'"

That's where "The Lord of the Local Authority" came in to save the day.

Paxton wanted to be both careful about the laws and respectful to "Lord of the Rings," so their solution was bureaucracy. The filmmaker said:

"I understand why copyright law exists, but in a way, it felt like, because he's ripping off this story and making it his own, when we found the way around it was that he frames it within the world he comes from, which is this kind of bureaucratic council in the Highlands. Also that just made us laugh, the idea that you've got this epic, probably one of the most epic stories ever, and he's reframed it in the most boring locale that you could."

To bring this version of the story to life, Gleeson was able to tap into a bit of his personal life when telling "The Lord of the Local Authority" bedtime story in "The Incomer." The actor explained:

"We added in the 'Local Authority,' and then I just got excited about the things that Daniel would be excited about, which would be the action set pieces. I think he was remembering the movies as well as the books. And so just his getting wrapped up, it reminded me of my nephew. I've got a couple of young nephews and when they tell stories about either things in their heads or things they've seen, they get super excited. And it doesn't all make sense, but it's always entertaining. And I thought that's who Daniel becomes — he becomes a kid again."

"The Incomer" is playing in select theaters now.