Tolkien family in Hobbit row

LAWYERS OF THE RINGS: Representatives for JRR Tolkien's heirs believe they can block the release of The Hobbit movie.

Relevant offers

Wellington

Whare too small for waka Bus hits tourist from cruise ship Outstanding scholar keeps getting better Firefighters fly to Kapiti blaze Joust another day at the office Bunch of new dwarfs sing praises of The Hobbit Thai team to investigate Kiwi's death Milk bars served it up by the scoop Council fears loss of liquor ban areas Congratulations and be prosperous

The heirs of The Hobbit author JRR Tolkien are confident they can revoke a Hollywood studio's right to release the movie version, which will largely be shot in Wellington next year.

Tolkien's family and the Tolkien Trust are seeking more than US$220 million (NZ$348m) in compensation from profits made from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings.

The case will go to trial in California in October. It was reported this week that the trial is expected to include a probe of New Line's accounting practices.

"Should this case go all the way through trial, we are confident that New Line will lose its right to release The Hobbit," said Bonnie Eskenazi, a lawyer with a Los Angeles legal firm representing Tolkien's heirs.

New Line's parent company, Time Warner, has asked that the heirs' claim be rejected. Jackson also threatened to sue New Line over royalties estimated at US$100m from The Lord of the Rings, but the dispute was settled in 2007 when Jackson and partner Fran Walsh agreed to be executive producers for The Hobbit.

The two-part film, directed by Mexican film-maker Guillermo del Toro, is being backed by New Line and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Newest First

Oldest First