And Then They Pull the Rug Out from Under Us

So maybe The Hobbit won’t be made at all now. Apparently New Line Cinema, who had issues with paying Peter Jackson’s production company last year, but has since settle, also didn’t pay the Tolkien Estate a penny of the $6 Billion made from the theatrical release as well as the DVD’s. What is up with New Line… I guess someone never learned to share. Here’s a quote from the news release: New Line was required to pay 7.5 percent of gross receipts to Tolkien's estate and other plaintiffs. Let’s see… 7.5 percent of 6 Billion dollars is 450 Million dollars. You could see why the Tolkien Estate wants the money, and it is rightfully theirs based on the agreement signed before the movie rights were released.

Now here’s something interesting, also from the same article: The plaintiffs seek more than $150 million in compensatory damages, unspecified punitive damages and a court order giving the Tolkien estate the right to terminate any rights New Line may have to make films based on other works by the author, including "The Hobbit."

So fine… you want your money, and I can totally understand that. But if you win you not only take the money, you also stop The Hobbit from being made? That’s punishing the fans just as much as it is New Line… and it’s also punishing yourself. That part makes no sense to me. Yes, they are made at New Line, as was Peter Jackson a year ago, but they made up after everything settle.

Can’t we all just get along, and make some decent movies that are actually worth seeing? I feel the same as these Hobbits pictured below… sad that more movies about their race probably won’t be made, because of money grubbing scum.