Tolkien Estate Files Suit to Recover Percentage of Lord of the Ring Film Revenues

The following is from Robert L. Moshman, Esq., The Lord of the Rings, published in the April 2008 issue of The Estate Analyst:

The Tolkien estate holds copyrights to the literary works of Tolkien, and several posthumous works have been published by Christopher Tolkien, who serves as literary executor of his father’s estate. Unfortunately, in 1969, Tolkien sold the film and merchandising rights to the books prior to his death to allow a cartoon movie to be made.***

To date, the estate has received none of the $6 billion generated by the recent Lord of the Ring films. In February, 2008, the estate filed a lawsuit against New Line Cinema claiming it is entitled to 7.5% of the revenues under the 1969 deal that Tolkien had made.