Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit film and gaming rights up for sale.

[Jer]

This shouldn't even be an issue. All that ancient stuff should be in the public domain.
I blame Sonny Bono.

Even without the Sony Bono's Heirs/Mickey Mouse Protection Act LotR would still be under copyright. Tolkien died in '73 so I believe the copyright in the US would have expired next year (life of the author+50 was the old standard in the US at least). And of course it had no impact on the UK copyright either, which is also now currently life of the author+70 just like it is in the US.

Which does bring up another question - the rights that the Saul Zaentz company are selling are basically for the next 20 years in the US and UK (which is where I'd think the Middle Earth license would be most lucrative, could be wrong!) - it'll be curious to see how much they go for given the time limit and how the company that buys them intends to make that money back in a timely fashion.

 

[Jer]

I think this will get into a competition between Disney and Amazon to get those rights. I'd put them as the two biggest boys on the block with a vested interest in obtaining them currently.

There are others that I think would be interested, but I don't think they will be willing to put the money on the table that the two above will be (though I could be surprised).

Warners would love to own the rights outright, given that they produced the films. But I don't think AT&T has left them in a good position to acquire them right now, especially if Amazon decides they want them. Warners might be able to get into a bidding war with Disney but if Amazon wants it they can probably bully Warners out. (Disney is another story - they might want to own all of the franchises and a Lord of the Rings theme park to compete with Universal's Harry Potter land might be tempting to them, but it's also a big gamble and they're already stretched thin. They don't actually need yet another franchise at this point.)

 

[Bill Zebub]

Let’s start a GoFundMe to put it in the public domain.

A couple billion oughta just about do it

 

[Scars Unseen]

I think this will get into a competition between Disney and Amazon to get those rights. I'd put them as the two biggest boys on the block with a vested interest in obtaining them currently.

There are others that I think would be interested, but I don't think they will be willing to put the money on the table that the two above will be (though I could be surprised).

I think it depends on whether or not the rights for movies and games are sold together or separately. Together, I'd say you have the right of it. Separately though, I think that Microsoft might be a contender for the gaming rights since they've kind of been on a purchasing spree recently (and they've definitely got the cash), with the movie rights being more of a toss up, still favoring Amazon and Disney, but with the possibility that neither would be willing to put up so much that other studios couldn't have a chance at a bid.

 

[aramis erak]

They did, where did their license come from?

THey are sublicensed by Sophisticated Games, which is licensed by Saul Zaents Co d/b/a Middle Earth Enterprises. At least per the alpha copyright data.

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Here is the page of current licensees. As can be seen, a lot more than movies and games.

Current Licensees

AMAZON GAMES ASHLAND FLY SHOP ASMODEE NORTH AMERICA BADALI JEWELRY DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT DROP ELECTRONIC ARTS FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES GAMES SYSTEM INTERNATIONAL GAMES WORKSHOP

www.middleearth.com

 

[TheSword]

Maybe if everyone here on ENWorld clubs together ...? I can chip in $100 or so.

Are you joking! We can’t even agree on whether a D&D movie should be funny or not, let alone make the next hobbit film.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Holy....

This is arguably the biggest media rights business opportunity in history. I'm guessing the final sale price will be more than Disney paid for Star Wars and Marvel combined.

Not really. These are just limited licensed rights to produce various types of derivative media around the IP, and don't actually include such rights to all of Tolkien's Middle-Earth work, nor does it include full ownership of any of the various movies and such already made, and it is still limited by some of those film rights and such having already been sub-licensed to Warner Bros (through New Line). It also contains no rights to the underlying works.

Meanwhile Disney bought both Star Wars and Marvel more or less lock, stock, and barrel.

 

[teitan]

This shouldn't even be an issue. All that ancient stuff should be in the public domain.
I blame Sonny Bono.

Not yet it wouldn't. Tolkien died in 73, The copyright to LOTR without the Bono act would have ended in 2023. That wouldn't have helped much anyway though as it could still be trademarked thus reducing the profitability of anything derived from the PD material substantially on something like LOTR or the Hobbit, Even Conan, most of which IS Public Domain, third party material has to find creative ways around trademarks to say "this is a Conan story/merchandise" and sales a fraction to what the official Conan material sales with the trademark.