by Here’s some crazy movie news that will strike a chord with many Lord of the rings fans. New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures have signed a new multi-year deal with Middle-Earth Enterprises of Embracer Group AB to develop a suite of new films Lord of the Rings movies!? What!?
Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav shared this huge news during the company’s call to discuss its Q4 2022 results. Zaslav has mentioned in the past that they wanted to focus on developing more big franchises for the big screen. Now they’re about to reboot some of the greatest movies ever made and I’m not a fan of what they’re doing.
It’s been 20 years since New Line released Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy that won 17 Oscars. Jackson later directed the Hobbit trilogy, and the six films grossed nearly $6 billion at the worldwide box office.
Lee Guinchard, CEO of Embracer Group’s Freemode operating group, said in a statement, “Following our recent acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises, we are thrilled to begin this new journey together with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures and explore the unparalleled world bring JRR Tolkien back to the big screen in new and exciting ways. We understand how treasured these works are, and in collaboration 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 highest standards of quality and production.”
Co-Chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros Pictures Group Michael DeLuca And Pam Abdy added, “Twenty years ago, New Line took an unprecedented leap of faith to bring the incredible stories, characters and world of The Lord of the Rings to the big screen. The result was a seminal series of films embraced by generations of fans. But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex, and dazzling universe that JRR Tolkien envisioned remains largely unexplored in the film. It is an honor to have the opportunity to take fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”
New Line and Warner Bros Animation are currently producing the anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which takes place 183 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings. The film, which tells the fate of the house of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary king of Rohan, is slated for a theatrical release on April 12, 2024.
I’m okay with building on the world and stories of Middle-earth and expanding on Jackson’s work, but…remaking it? This is something that I and many other fans will have a hard time with.
Middle-earth Enterprises owns exclusive worldwide film, gaming, merchandising, stage and other rights to certain of Tolkein’s literary works, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
