Photo: New Line
Warner Bros. and New Line are gearing up for another trip back to the Shire.
The studio announced Thursday during its Q4 investor call that a new multi-year deal with rights holder Embracer Group ABallows them to develop new featuresbased onJ.R.R. Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsbooks andThe Hobbit, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.
“The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure,” added De Luca and Abdy.
Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode — which is part of Embracer — also said in a statement: “We understand how cherished these works are and working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, we plan to honor the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values.”
New Line Cinema
Peter Jackson’s live-actionLord of the Ringstrilogy hit theaters between 2001 and 2003, breaking several box office records andraking in more than $1 billion worldwide. The films also earned a combined 17 Academy Awards.
He went on to direct threeHobbitfilms for the studio, released from 2012 to 2014.
Meanwhile,The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerhas been renewed for a second season at Amazon Prime Video. The series is not directly based on Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsnovels but his 1977 posthumous collection of myths and storiesThe Silmarillion.
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After Embracer, a Swedish gaming company, bought rights holder Middle-earth Enterprises from The Saul Zaentz Company last year, they now own rights to film, games, merchandise, theme parks and live productions based on Tolkien’s works.
source: people.com
