‘Hobbit’ Heirs Seek $220 Million From Time Warner Over ‘Rings’

[Alcuin]

from Bloomberg News. Follow the link to the story. I have never before seen the reference to “7.5 percent of future receipts,” but then I am not privy to the details.

J.R.R. Tolkien sold movie rights to his “Lord of the Rings” novels 40 years ago for 7.5 percent of future receipts. Three films and $6 billion later, his heirs say they haven’t seen a dime from Time Warner Inc. The accounting methods used by New Line Cinema, the Time Warner unit that made the movies, will face a jury’s scrutiny in October, when the heirs’ lawsuit against the New York-based media company is set for trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aiAEIATGLREU)

[GrayMouser]

A little more on this:

http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/btm/?last_story=/ent/movies/btm/feature/2009/07/28/hobbit/

[Earniel]

It'll be an interesting legal circus to watch in October, then.

I had to laugh at the phrase: "not one Orc-slobbered piece of silver". :p

[Alcuin]

London Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6159239/Lord-of-the-Rings-wrangle-settled-with-JRR-Tolkien-estate.html)
J.R.R. Tolkien's estate has reached a settlement with the studio behind the "Lord of the Rings" movies after alleging it had not received "even one penny" of royalties from the successful film trilogy.

... A lawyer for the Tolkien Trust, which together with HarperCollins Publishers had filed a lawsuit against New Line Cinema in February 2008, said the settlement was finalised ahead of a scheduled October 19 trial.

The terms of the settlement are confidential. ...
Complete article here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6159239/Lord-of-the-Rings-wrangle-settled-with-JRR-Tolkien-estate.html).