Lord of the Rings TV series gets multi-season order at Amazon

[davem]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

My bet is on a young Aragorn, although some kind of adaptation of the Sil might be possible.

I guess if they really want to go full on Game of Thrones they could do the Kin-strife.

Warners have licensed the movie rights for the Aragorn story from Zaentz as it is, so there's no need for any Estate involvement, let alone the handing over of all that money to them. I wouldn't rule out some Third Age stuff, I'm just genuinely confused about what the Estate has to sell, if it isn't The Sil stuff.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by davem

Warners have licensed the movie rights for the Aragorn story from Zaentz as it is, so there's no need for any Estate involvement, let alone the handing over of all that money to them. I wouldn't rule out some Third Age stuff, I'm just genuinely confused about what the Estate has to sell, if it isn't The Sil stuff.

I've revised my original opinion (see above), but this does pose an interesting question of where the line is regarding what is considered included within a particular work.

The most generous interpretation would say that anything included in the appendices of LOTR could be considered off limits, but I can't think that interpretation would hold water because that would be so sweeping.

[Zigûr]

I can't substantiate this, but I feel like I remember there being some kind of grey area due to the substantial overlap between The Silmarillion and the Appendices.

I think I've mentioned before my "maybe I just dreamt it" impression that there was some stipulation that if a narrative element was mentioned in both the Appendices and The Silmarillion (or other material not part of the film rights) but not in the main text of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings it could not be adapted, but if it was mentioned in the body of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings proper it could be regardless of whether it was mentioned in The Silmarillion et al.

But as I say, I can't back that up. If there's any truth to it, it might explain the Estate's involvement, but I'll be the first to admit that I'm reaching.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

I can't substantiate this, but I feel like I remember there being some kind of grey area due to the substantial overlap between The Silmarillion and the Appendices.

I think I've mentioned before my "maybe I just dreamt it" impression that there was some stipulation that if a narrative element was mentioned in both the Appendices and The Silmarillion (or other material not part of the film rights) but not in the main text of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings it could not be adapted, but if it was mentioned in the body of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings proper it could be regardless of whether it was mentioned in The Silmarillion et al.

But as I say, I can't back that up. If there's any truth to it, it might explain the Estate's involvement, but I'll be the first to admit that I'm reaching.

I think I can recall one poster claiming this... but he wasn't exactly what I'd call a reliable source.

This affair seems to be getting more peculiar the more we hear about it, doesn't it? Is it possible Zaentz only holds the film rights and not the TV rights?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

I think I can recall one poster claiming this... but he wasn't exactly what I'd call a reliable source.

This affair seems to be getting more peculiar the more we hear about it, doesn't it? Is it possible Zaentz only holds the film rights and not the TV rights?

It's possible-but the Zaentz rights seen to cover video games as well as films, so I'd assume TV would be part of the rights as well. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midd...th_Enterprises

[Morthoron]

The press release specifically states:

"...Amazon studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien's original writings...Set in Middle-earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.”

The bold sections are my emphasis. It will not be The Silmarillion, because the Tolkien Estate has not made any statement regarding the sale of separate media rights to that book, of which Christopher Tolkien is technically co-author. So, prior to FotR, post-Silmarillion, with no mention of The Hobbit as a precursor to LotR whatsoever.

What is one left with then? Look to HoMe, and the Unfinished Tales, specifically Part III and Part IV dealing with the Third Age but divorced from the LotR Appendices in most instances. This fits the modus operandi of "unexplored stories" and "new storylines...preceding FotR", but does not require selling media rights to The Sil, and does not interfere with separate rights held by Tolkien Enterprises (Saul Zaentz) who own the multimedia rights to The Hobbit and LotR.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by davem

It's possible-but the Zaentz rights seen to cover video games as well as films, so I'd assume TV would be part of the rights as well. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midd...th_Enterprises

Well, that's the merchandising rights- what the court case was over- so not the same thing. However, film rights usually do include TV, AFAIK.

[Morthoron]

Well, this explains a lot. C. Tolkien has resigned as Director of the Tolkien Estate...

https://io9.gizmodo.com/j-r-r-tolkie...sta-1820476459

The vultures didn't even wait for the body to get cold.