Franchise FAQ

who owns the lord of the rings franchise

by Maybelle Runolfsson Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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Middle-earth
Middle-earth
The title refers to the story's main antagonist, the Dark Lord Sauron, who in an earlier age created the One Ring to rule the other Rings of Power given to Men, Dwarves, and Elves, in his campaign to conquer all of Middle-earth.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Lord_of_the_Rings
Enterprises
, formerly known as Tolkien Enterprises, is a trade name for a division of The Saul Zaentz Company, located in Berkeley, California. The company owns the worldwide exclusive rights to certain elements of J. R. R. Tolkien's two most famous literary works: The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit is set within Tolkien's fictional universe and follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins, the titular hobbit, to win a share of the treasure guarded by a dragon named Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from his light-hearted, rural surroundings into more sinister territory.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Hobbit
and The Lord of the Rings.

Who is the evil in Lord of the Rings?

The fact that he literally is usually in the form of the Eye of Sauron brings to mind being watched and tempted, and there are many metaphors that can be made here. Sauron is the most powerful evil being in The Lord of the Rings films.

Who was the real hero in Lord of the Rings?

Tolkien explicitly said Sam was the true hero. While talking about the Lord of the Rings, it’s hard to pick just one character as the ultimate hero of the saga, because unlike Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, which follow the undisputed stories of their protagonists, LOTR has many characters.

Does Disney own Lord of the Rings?

Initially, Miramax was backing the production of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films in 1997, but was restricted by then-owner Disney, who demanded that they turn the story into one film instead of two films, thus Jackson brought the project to New Line Cinema, who acquired the rights to develop The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit from Miramax for about $12 million. (Miramax retained a 5% stake in the gross.)

Who is the Witch king in Lord of the Rings?

The Witch-king of Angmar was the chief of the Nazgûl, King of Angmar and Sauron 's great captain in his wars. A wraith, the Witch-king of Angmar was nearly indestructible, a terrifying warrior, and a cunning strategist.

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Does Warner Bros still own Lord of the Rings?

Image: Warner Bros. Embracer Group, the ambitious, acquisition-hungry Swedish gaming conglomerate, has bought the rights to make films, games, merchandise, and theme parks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The deal comes as a surprise.

Does Jeff Bezos own Lord of the Rings?

Amazon announced in 2017 it had partnered with J.R.R. Tolkien's estate for a multi-season Lord Of The Rings series, and it was reported the company paid roughly $250 million for the rights to the story. Bezos was said to be personally involved in the negotiations for the rights, Variety reported at the time.

Does Peter Jackson own Lord of the Rings?

As we know by now, the answer is 'no. ' Peter Jackson has had no hand in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. But as it turns out, Jackson almost was involved… until he got ghosted by the production.

Who owns the rights to rings of power?

In 2017, Amazon paid $250m (£208m) for the rights to make a big budget prequel to Lord of the Rings, called Rings of Power, which is to have a global release on its Prime Video service on 2 September.

Does Amazon have full rights to Lord of the Rings?

As we understand it so far, Amazon's rights to Tolkien's work are the same rights that producer Saul Zaentz bought in the 1970s, leading both to Ralph Bakshi's animated Lord Of the Rings and eventually to Peter Jackson's films. These rights only include material from The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit.

How did Amazon get rights to Lord of the Rings?

In 2017, the estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien, along with executives from Warner Bros., was shopping the television rights to “The Lord of the Rings.” While both Netflix and HBO were interested, Amazon won out with the backing of Jeff Bezos, paying nearly $250 million.

Why is Peter Jackson not part of Rings of Power?

The site's sources added that the Tolkien estate did not want Jackson to work on The Rings of Power. This is not a total surprise, as Christopher Tolkien previously spoke harshly about Jackson's film series. However, the estate did agree to work with Amazon on The Rings of Power, for the reported fee of $250 million.

How did Peter Jackson get rights to Lord of the Rings?

As has been said, the reason Peter Jackson became the director associated with Lord of the rings is that he aquired the rights from producer Saul Zaentz and made a deal with Miramax. This is an answer to how Peter Jackson came to direct the Lord of the rings trilogy instead of "Lord of the rings: the movie".

How much did Peter Jackson make from LOTR?

Jackson earned $180 million off The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Prior to striking it rich with LOTR, Peter Jackson had actually been making movies since the mid-70s. Some of his other directing credits include, "Heavenly Creatures," "King Kong," and "The Lovely Bones."

Who gets royalties for Lord of the Rings?

Middle-earth Enterprises, formerly known as Tolkien Enterprises, is a trade name for a division of The Saul Zaentz Company, located in Berkeley, California. The company owns the worldwide exclusive rights to certain elements of J. R. R. Tolkien's two most famous literary works: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

How much did Amazon pay for Lord of the Rings?

Amazon's new $715 million “Lord of the Rings” series is the most expensive TV show of all time, but it was created by two showrunners with hardly any Hollywood credits between them.

How much is the Tolkien Estate worth?

J. R. R. Tolkien Net WorthNet Worth:$50 MillionDate of Birth:Jan 3, 1892 - Sep 2, 1973 (81 years old)Gender:MaleHeight:5 ft 8 in (1.74 m)Profession:Author, Writer, Poet, Philologist1 more row

How much did Bezos make LotR?

After spending $250 million to land the rights to make a show set in Middle-earth, the ecommerce giant interviewed numerous A-listers — including “Avengers: Endgame” directors the Russo brothers — while searching for the right creators to bring its series to life.

What does Jeff Bezos have to do with rings of power?

That's right, Jeff Bezos' son approached him after Amazon snagged the rights to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. And according to Amazon's founder, he asked that the company refrain from messing things up: “My kids have become Tolkien fans as well.

How much did Amazon pay for LotR?

WSJ: Amazon spends record-breaking $715 million on Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Fierce Video.

Who owns Tolkien Estate?

Current executors of the estate include Christopher's wife Baillie Tolkien and Christopher's nephew Michael George Tolkien.

How many Lord of the Rings movies are there?

Total (3 films): $2.991 billion. The Lord of the Rings is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003).

When did Peter Jackson play Lord of the Rings?

Peter Jackson at the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on 1 December 2003 at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington.

What is the ring of power?

In the Second Age of Middle-earth, the lords of Elves, Dwarves, and Men are given Rings of Power. Unbeknownst to them, the Dark Lord Sauron forges the One Ring in Mount Doom, instilling into it a great part of his power, in order to dominate the other Rings so he might conquer Middle-earth. A final alliance of Men and Elves battles Sauron's forces in Mordor. Isildur of Gondor severs Sauron's finger and the Ring with it, thereby vanquishing Sauron and returning him to spirit form. With Sauron's first defeat, the Third Age of Middle-earth begins. The Ring's influence corrupts Isildur, who takes it for himself. Isildur is later killed by Orcs and the Ring is lost in a river for 2,500 years until it is found by Gollum, who owns it for five centuries. The Ring is then found by a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who is unaware of its history.

Why did Jackson sue the Tolkien Trust?

The Tolkien Trust filed a lawsuit in February 2008, for violating Tolkien's original deal over the rights that they would earn 7.5% of the gross from any films based on his works. The Trust sought compensation of $150 million. A judge denied them this option, but allowed them to win compensation from the act of the studio ignoring the contract itself. On 8 September 2009, the dispute was settled.

How long was the Fellowship of the Ring?

Daily rushes would often last up to four hours, and by the time The Fellowship of the Ring had been released, assembly cuts of the other two films (4½ hours each) were already prepared. In total, 1828 km (six million feet) of film was edited down to the 11 hours and 26 minutes (686 minutes) of extended running time.

What are the movies based on the book The Lord of the Rings?

For other films based on The Lord of the Rings, see Middle-earth in film. The Lord of the Rings is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) , The Two Towers (2002) , and The Return of the King (2003) .

Who did Frodo meet in the Ring?

Frodo meets with Gandalf, who escaped Isengard with help from a Great Eagle. That night, Strider reunites with Arwen, and they affirm their love for each other. Facing the threat of both Sauron and Saruman, Arwen's father, Lord Elrond, decides against keeping the Ring in Rivendell for long.

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Overview

Development

Previous attempts to film Tolkien's works were made by William Snyder, Peter Shaffer and John Boorman. These attempts resulted in a couple of unproduced scripts, concept art and an animated short. Other filmmakers and producers to have had an interest in adapting Tolkien are said to include Walt Disney, Al Brodax, Forrest Ackerman, Denis O'Dell (who considered Richard Lester to dire…

Films

In the Second Age of Middle-earth, the lords of Elves, Dwarves, and Men are given Rings of Power. Unbeknownst to them, the Dark Lord Sauron forges the One Ring in Mount Doom, instilling into it a great part of his power, to dominate the other Rings so he might conquer Middle-earth. A final alliance of Men and Elves battles Sauron's forces in Mordor. Isildur of Gondor severs Sauron's finger and the Ring with it, thereby vanquishing Sauron and returning him to spirit form. With Sauron's f…

Cast and crew

Jackson began abstract discussions on casting during the development of the scripts with Miramax. Jackson, Walsh and Boyens compiled a casting wishlist, which included Cate Blanchett for Galadriel and Ian Holm for Bilbo. Wondering whether Patrick Stewart would be right for the part of Gandalf, Philippa Boyens drew a tape of him performing opposite Ian McKellen, only to suggest the latter to Jackson. McKellen became Jackson's first choice for Gandalf. Christopher Lee sent …

Production

Jackson began storyboarding and screenwriting the series with Christian Rivers, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens in 1997 and assigned his crew to begin designing Middle-earth at the same time. Jackson, Walsh and Boyens did not write each film to correspond exactly to its respective book, opting instead to write a three-part adaptation with some sequences missing, some sequences c…

Music

Howard Shore composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced the trilogy's music. Shore visited the set in 1999, and composed a version of the Shire theme and Frodo's Theme before Jackson began shooting. In August 2000 he visited the set again, and watched the assembly cuts of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King. In the music, Shore included many (85 to 110) leitmotifs to …

Reception

The trilogy's online promotional trailer was first released on 27 April 2000, and set a new record for download hits, registering 1.7 million hits in the first 24 hours of its release. The trailer used a selection from the soundtrack for Braveheart and The Shawshank Redemption among other cuts. In 2001, 24 minutes of footage from the series, primarily the Moria sequence, was shown a…

Home media

The first two films were released on two-disc standard edition DVDs containing previews of the following film. The success of the theatrical cuts brought about four-disc extended editions, with new editing, added special effects and music. Jackson came up with the idea of an extended cut for LaserDisc and DVD formats while in preproduction. He could insert some of the violence that he thought he would have to trim to get a PG-13 rating for the theatre, and he could tailor the pacin…

Overview

The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.

Publication history

A dispute with his publisher, George Allen & Unwin, led Tolkien to offer the work to William Collins in 1950. Tolkien intended The Silmarillion (itself largely unrevised at this point) to be published along with The Lord of the Rings, but Allen & Unwin were unwilling to do this. After Milton Waldman, his contact at Collins, expressed the belief that The Lord of the Rings itself "urgently wanted …

Plot

The prologue explains that the work is "largely concerned with hobbits", telling of their origins in a migration from the east, their habits such as smoking "pipe-weed", and how their homeland the Shire is organised. It explains how the narrative follows on from The Hobbit, in which the hobbit Bilbo Baggins finds the One Ring, which had been in the possession of Gollum.

Concept and creation

Although a major work in itself, The Lord of the Rings was only the last movement of a much older set of narratives Tolkien had worked on since 1917 encompassing The Silmarillion, in a process he described as mythopoeia.
The Lord of the Rings started as a sequel to Tolkien's work The Hobbit, published in 1937. The popularity of The Hobbit had led George Allen & Unwin, …

Reception

Early reviews of the work were mixed. The initial review in the Sunday Telegraph described it as "among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century". The Sunday Times echoed this sentiment, stating that "the English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them." The New York Herald Tribune appeared to predict the books' popularity, writing in its review that they were "dest…

Adaptations

The Lord of the Rings has been adapted for radio, stage, film and television.
The book has been adapted for radio four times. In 1955 and 1956, the BBC broadcast The Lord of the Rings, a 13-part radio adaptation of the story. In the 1960s radio station WBAI produced a short radio adaptation. A 1979 dramatization of The Lord of the Rings was broadcast in the United States and subsequently issued on tape and CD. In 1981, the BBC broadcast The Lord of the Rings, …

Legacy

The enormous popularity of Tolkien's work expanded the demand for fantasy. Largely thanks to The Lord of the Rings, the genre flowered throughout the 1960s and enjoys popularity to the present day. The opus has spawned many imitations, such as The Sword of Shannara, which Lin Carter called "the single most cold-blooded, complete rip-off of another book that I have ever read," as …

Sources

• Carpenter, Humphrey (1977), J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Ballantine Books, ISBN 978-0-04-928037-3
• Carpenter, Humphrey, ed. (1981), The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 978-0-395-31555-2
• Drout, Michael D. C. (2006). The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-96942-0.

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