Author Kristin Thompson writes: There has been a development in the lawsuit the Tolkien Trust filed against New Line Cinema in February. It’s not clear what it means, but I offer some suggestions on The Frodo Franchise. New Details on Tolkien Trust vs New Line Cinema
Category: Studios
Their movies are both part of a New Line retrospective put together by Rotten Tomatoes of their 25 favorite New Line offerings:
“New Line Cinema: Thanks for giving us a great horror icon, for helping subversive filmmakers bubble up to the mainstream, and for getting some beloved fantasy books the big-screen treatment they deserved. Today, Rotten Tomatoes celebrates four decades of independent existence (they’re now part of WB) by proffering our 25 studio favorites.”
So, in a contest between Aragorn and Freddie, guess who wins? Thanks to Anna for the link. Read More
Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post facility thinks about ways to make its business more environmentally friendly. Read More
From Variety.com: It’s the end of the line for most of New Line, with Time Warner cutting 450 jobs as part of its earlier decision to fold the studio into Warner Bros. The pinkslips, announced Monday afternoon, leave New Line with 40-50 employees. A Time Warner spokesman said about 40 New Line employees are being offered jobs within Warner Bros.
Notifications of the dismissals began Monday and will continue Tuesday. That decision ended New Line’s 40 years as an independent studio, with toppers Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne ankling. In mid-March, longtime production chief Emmerich was appointed to his new post at the scaled-down shingle. Two weeks ago, senior exec VP-chief operating officer Richard Brener agreed to stay on as Emmerich’s right-hand man, with a promotion to prexy of production. Other New Line production execs expected to stay include Sam Brown, Michael Disco and Michele Weiss. Thanks to diedye for the link. Read More
Last May, New Line Cinema threw a 40th-anniversary party in Cannes. Tied in with a promotional push for the company’s movie, The Golden Compass, it was a lavish affair. As guests consumed champagne, while admiring the ice sculptures, little did they guess this was more a last hurrah than a birthday bash. For within the last month it has been announced that New Line Cinema is to be drastically downsized and folded into the conglomerate’s studio outfit, Warner Brothers. Just four years ago, The Return of the King, the final chapter in New Line’s adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, took 11 Oscars, tying with the all-time record set by Ben Hur and equalled by Titanic. The film had already grossed US$1 billion ($1.26 billion) worldwide, only the second to do so after Titanic. That’s before you take into account the millions accumulated by the previous two films and the money created by merchandise. The bitter end of the New Line
Daily Variety reported that Sands would be leaving the company after many of his duties were usurped by the appointment of Mary Parent to head of MGMs worldwide motion picture group earlier this month. Read more here.