Warner Bros., Tolkien Estate Settle 5 Year ‘Hobbit’ Lawsuit
The plaintiffs claimed the 1969 rights agreement entitled the studio to create only “tangible” merchandise associated with the books.
Mark Coote/Reuters
Warner Bros. and the estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien announced Monday that they amicably resolved an $80 million lawsuit over the alleged digital exploitation of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The Tolkien estate and book publisher HarperCollins filed the lawsuit against Warner Bros. in 2012 alleging that the company had breached contract by marketing online games, slot machines, and other gambling-related merchandise based on Tolkien's books. The estate claimed the 1969 rights agreement entitled the studio to create only “tangible” merchandise associated with the books.
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