LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has barred the estate of “Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien from seeking punitive damages against the studio that brought the trilogy to the big screen. Tolkien’s heirs claim New Line Cinema has failed to pay any royalties from the estimated $6 billion they say the movie has grossed worldwide. The lawsuit is seeking more than $150 million in compensatory damages based on breach of contract, fraud and other claims. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ann I. Jones also ruled this week that the estate and Tolkien heirs have established a legal basis for the fraud claim against New Line. As part of that allegation, the lawsuit claims New Line sent millions of dollars to Time Warner Inc.’s AOL, improperly claiming they were for advertising expenses. The lawsuit also claims the studio built production offices and facilities in New Zealand and listed them as expenses for the “Lord of the Rings” films, although the heirs claim they are now being used for other New Line projects. Continue reading “Court: No punitive damages in ‘LOTR’ suit”
Day: September 25, 2008
From BBC: Director Guillermo del Toro has announced plans to write a trilogy of vampire novels with crime author Chuck Hogan. The 43-year-old, best known for making Pans Labyrinth, Hellboy and The Devil’s Backbone, said the trilogy would advance in “unexpected ways”. The first book, The Strain, will be released next summer. Earlier this month it was reported that del Toro had signed a four-picture deal with film studio Universal. Del Toro to release book trilogy
Xoanon here: Just a little note about these books. THE STRAIN, the novel to be published is already written. The book was finished a while ago, before del Toro even began work on HELLBOY II. He will not be writing it during THE HOBBIT. It is safe to say what happens in NZ will mostly be Hobbity related!
TheOneRing.net will be providing a segment on this Sunday’s broadcast of ‘Fictional Frontiers with Sohaib,’ on WNJC 1360 AM, Philadelphia at 11AM ET. This week, Sohaib will be speaking with Xoanon about the latest news and rumors concerning ‘The Hobbit’ movies. Be sure to tune in for an interview with Howard Shore as well! As always, the show is broadcast live via the internet via the WNJC website. Hope you can join us! [Fictional Frontiers] [Netcast] Join us in chat while the show goes on! [Live Chat]
Word to us has come across the web in regards to the Alan Lee book tour we posted about a little while ago.
The *only* place to get early copies of TALES FROM THE PERILOUS REALM will be at Alan Lee’s bookstore events in October, as well as at Faeriecon — the very first place the book will appear in public. TALES FROM THE PERILOUS REALM will not be in wide release until November, so Alan’s events offer a very special opportunity for fans to be the first to get their hands on copies!
Check out this great prank at the University of Illinois. Eye of Sauron