Subject for the Second film?

[Eönwë]

A slightly different question- Do you think the Tolkien Estate would ever be willing to sell rights to the UT?

That would mean that they could use things that are not in The Hobbit or Lotr but are realted to it.

My guess is no, though.


But think of it: The dwarves' battle in the North (During the WotR)

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

A slightly different question- Do you think the Tolkien Estate would ever be willing to sell rights to the UT?

"Ever" is a long time. But certainly not Christopher, and the impression I get (which admittedly is merely that) is that Adam Tolkien feels the same way; at any rate, that is only one vote (alongside Baillie and Michael George Tolkien).

[Mithalwen]

Maybe if with new rights they could get the clout that say JK Rowling has over the Harry Potter movies they might release parts. I think Aldarion and Erendis could make a great film as one of the stories with real passion. I doubt they would ever just sell the lot - so much of it is undefinitive.

Of course since they are hamstringing the Hobbit to fit in with LOTR it may be closer to the Quest of Erebor .... and the quest for the ring will surely feature in the hotchpotch movie ... but thinking about that is far too depressing

I adore UT for all the extra information but I am not sure that there is much else that would really have enough for a stand alone movie. The Narn and Tuor are not complete in UT, Does the pact of Cirion and Eorl have the impact alone? If you separate it from its fulfilment at the Pellennor? If you remove the Disaster of the Gladden Fields and Orophir /Thranduil at the Battle of the last Alliance from the wider history of the Rings of Power is there a movie in them? Not sure.... wonderful episodes if you were doing a great epic tv serial but maybe not a film.

[Sauron the White]

So, Christopher Tolkien has no interest, legal or otherwise, in getting the film rights back?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

So, Christopher Tolkien has no interest, legal or otherwise, in getting the film rights back?

Has he ever expressed any? That's what I asked. I've never seen any statement from him even mentioning a desire to have the movie rights back, but I'd be interested to know if he had.

[Mithalwen]

Surely film rights must expire at some point? Since copyright expires eventually it seems illogical that film rights could last forever. At some point it must be open to everyone (like when there were two films of "Emma" in one year and "Valmont" and "Dangerous Liaisons" appeared more or less at the same time (both based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Laclos). In someways that might be a good thing - I hold that Tolkien's world is great enough to take different interpretations and visions.

[Sauron the White]

One way to offer predictions about the future is by studying the past. Let us speculate that someday, someway, somehow, CT and the Estate do get control of the film rights back to both LOTR and HOBBIT.

Would there be any reason to believe that they would treat them any differently than they treat potential film rights to every other piece of writing they currently control by JRRT?

[William Cloud Hicklin]

That's a very idle speculation, StW. Certainly the current lawsuit purports to do no such thing.

[Mithalwen]

Who knows what the new generation might do? Christopher has now passed both his parents in age and much as I hope the combination of Suffield genes and the advanced French healthcare system keep him on this side of the Sundering Sea for as long as possible, I doubt that film projects would feature heavily in what he would choose to do with the time left to him.

However I believe Adam's "day job" is lighting designer, Rachel has an art gallery, there are other "creative types" among the younger generation...not absolutely inconceivable that between them they might have the inclination, knowledge and nous to control any film-making themselves. There is a world of difference between commisioning an architect to build on your own land and flogging it off to a developer for a quick buck. Not saying that it would happen but I think I read a French interview with Adam that hinted at something... will try and find....

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

I adore UT for all the extra information but I am not sure that there is much else that would really have enough for a stand alone movie. The Narn and Tuor are not complete in UT, Does the pact of Cirion and Eorl have the impact alone? If you separate it from its fulfilment at the Pellennor? If you remove the Disaster of the Gladden Fields and Orophir /Thranduil at the Battle of the last Alliance from the wider history of the Rings of Power is there a movie in them? Not sure.... wonderful episodes if you were doing a great epic tv serial but maybe not a film.

What I mean is that of course you can use the Quest of Erebor, and I think that maybe for movie 2 they could talk about the dwarf wars going on at the same time, but yes, you are right (but maybe that would be a reason that the Estate would be less reluctant to sell the rights).