Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema Settle "Lord Of The Rings" Lawsuit

LOS ANGELES — The heirs of J.R.R. Tolkien and a movie studio that produced the blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy have settled a lawsuit over the films' profits, it was announced Tuesday.

The out-of-court resolution clears the way for a two-film prequel based on Tolkien's novel "The Hobbit" and will benefit charities around the world, according to a joint press release announcing the settlement.

The lawsuit had sought to rescind New Line Cinema's rights to make films based on the book.

Tolkien's heirs sued New Line Cinema in February 2008, claiming the studio owed it millions in profits from the movies released between 2001 and 2003. The films earned an estimated $6 billion in sales of movie tickets, DVDs and merchandise.

No settlement paperwork has yet been filed with a Los Angeles court. The terms of the deal are being kept confidential.

"We deeply value the contributions of the Tolkien novels to the success of our films and are pleased to have put this litigation behind us," said Alan Horn, president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Warner Bros. acquired New Line in March 2008.

One of the main beneficiaries of the settlement is The Tolkien Trust, a British charity that supports causes around the world.

Christopher Tolkien, one of the author's trustees, said the lawsuit was regrettable, but the estate is "glad that this dispute has been settled on satisfactory terms that will allow The Tolkien Trust to properly pursue its charitable objectives."

Bonnie Eskenazi, an attorney who handled the lawsuit for the Tolkien estate, said the settlement vindicated the heirs and will touch more than just movie audiences.

The lawsuit claimed Tolkien's trust received only an upfront payment of $62,500 for the three movies before production began but was due 7.5 percent of the gross receipts.

Peter Jackson, who directed "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, will serve as executive producer on "The Hobbit" films. The prequels have already endured a legal path as treacherous as the story's trek by hobbit Bilbo Baggins to the Lonely Mountain.

Jackson and New Line feuded for a year over the trilogy's profits before reaching an agreement in 2007 that cleared the way for work on "The Hobbit."

The two prequels will be directed by Guillermo del Toro, who directed the two "Hellboy" movies and "Pan's Labyrinth."

Comments

[picval]

Best Bumper sticker ever; "Frodo Lied, Bush had the Ring"

[wwoody]

This for all the little people in the world.

[Rowaenthe]

Y'know, I read both "The Hobbit" and "LOTR" for the first time when I was about 10-13 years old. Loved Tolkien's storytelling, but it was really hard to get through, because he'd change language perception in the narrative with no warning whatsoever.

Well, in intervening years, I read LOTR several times, and even after graduating with a Masters in English, I STILL found Tolkien a bit incomprehensible. It was only after I saw Jackson's vision through film that everything truly made sense to me. Then I went back, yet again, for the umpteenth time to read all three books in the LOTR trilogy. Jackson managed to translate Tolkien for me.

Tolkien was a master linguist and storytelling strategist, but frankly, his artistry in creative writing was sorely lacking. He got so lost sometimes in his love of language that he kind of lost the story three or four pages behind. It's sorta like George Lucas, whom I adore - great story, great arc, but boy, George's grasp of script and narrative sucked. It was only when Lucas hired writers to flesh out the vision that the movies worked.

The Tolkien estate and heirs should be damn grateful that Jackson could tunnel through all the (ehem) verbosity and craft a story that anyone and everyone could grasp. Shush, be happy for that.

R.

[rcmfla]

And the attorneys of Dild-o Baggems and associates raised their mugs and toasted their newfound riches. Among the tales of profits pilfered and dragon loot undiscovered, there was a child-like glee in the air as Dild-o stood and exclaimed, "See you at the sequel!"

[Robert Cantor]

when I was 16 I thought that was funny too; how old are you?

[rcmfla]

Most likely older than you and your high horse. Sittling in that saddle, I'm surprised you can't find your sense of humor. Maybe you should check your high school locker, Bob.

[Longbaugh]

Del Toro's involvement could ruin the prospect of these two films.

[Ponderus]

Agreed: his sensibility is as far from Tolkien's as could be imagined. It would be like having Fellini (if he was still with us) direct Charlotte's Web.

[Jelperman]

Great! Now we can have another 14 hours of sobbing midgets.

[Grant Morrison]

..

Three very LONG and tedious movies, bereft of all the subtext and history that makes LOTR special. You'd think to watch Peter Jackson's LOTR that the enite series is one long battle scene punctuated by pointy-eared hobgoblins staring mistily into space.

I suppose he'll include Beorn, but we won't get to know the relationship between Beorn and Elrond and Luthien Tinuviel, eh? We'll get the spiders of Mirkwood, but no one will be clued in on WHERE those giant spiders CAME from or WHY that's important.

I'd ratrher watch Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast.

.

[SpaghettyIrish]

You've clearly read the Silmarillion. If you have any idea of how to turn that great but expansive work in to a film, take your best shot.

[FrankieAnon]

The history of the spiders is not in The Hobbit, nor is Luthien Tinuviel. The Hobbit was a children's story, one that Tolkien said grew darker as he wrote it. He only later incorporated hobbits into the larger mythology, which much pre-dated the writing of the Hobbit. His publisher asked for a sequel to the Hobbit. In casting about for a plot, he settled on the ring and then decided to merge his two disparate worlds into one. I hope the movie follows the book, not the Silmarillion.

But I agree that the movies focused too much on battles, which take perhaps a page each in the novel.

[ramblingjohnny]

You really have to read both the Silmarillion and LOTR to know that Shelob is the last descendant of Ungoliant who went with Melkor to Valinor in the first age and drank the sap and life of the two tree.

[sense11]

Awesome News, Now bring on that Hobbit. I Cant Wait:)

[Tyrione]

``"We deeply value the contributions of the Tolkien novels to the success of our films and are pleased to have put this litigation behind us," said Alan Horn, president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.''

Deeply value...? You don't have $6 Billion without it. You also don't have $6 Billion without Jackson's vision of his interpretation of that trilogy.

No Tolkien and New Line is $6 Billion poorer.

[mredder4]

My thoughts exactly.

[lisalovesamelie]

I thought the exact same thing. How arrogant that statement is.

[Nooneyouknow]

Well, he's a film executive. Pathological arrogance and ignorance is part of the profile.