The Saul Zaentz Company has decided it’s time to sell The Lord of the Rings franchise at an expected minimum of two billion dollars. You might think that The Tolkien Estate or Warner Bros owns the rights to Middle Earth, but to say that it’s complicated would be an understatement. SZC owns the rights to everything other than TV shows of at least eight episodes (that’s how Amazon has their series), except for ownership of the New Line Cinema movies… unless WB has not actively been involved in Tolkien movies lately. That’s exactly what SZC is contending now, although you’d better believe attorneys are salivating over the complexities of The Lord of the Rings ownership.
The timing of the sale process is not accidental. Amazon is set to premiere its long-awaited, mega-budgeted TV series rendition of the enduring “Lord of the Rings” saga, “TROP,” on Sept. 2.
— Fellowship of Fans (@FellowshipFans) February 9, 2022
That’s why sources I have tell me that The Walt Disney Company may be disinclined from pursuing ownership of The Lord of the Rings, even if Saul Zaentz Company is able to clarify the legal ownership assets. This a property that has been under litigation for years and will likely continue to be under litigation. And though SZC’s rights definitively include the ability to construct and maintain Lord of the Rings theme park assets, it isn’t certain that Disney could capitalize on The Lord of the Rings inside their theme parks at this time. At Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, there is no real estate available for a Lord of the Rings expansion. In Disney World, it would almost certainly need its own theme park or a theme park-sized expansion. Of the existing theme parks, only Hollywood Studios could accommodate such an expansion, and that would need to go in the current cast parking lot that was built within the last few years.
The more likely buyer is none other than Jeff Bezos.
Yes, other companies are going to be looking at The Lord of the Rings and any possibility of making the purchase. However, the second richest man in the world would have far more to capitalize on if he could get Tolkien’s work under his big tent. For one, Amazon already has a working relationship with The Tolkien Estate, thus preventing a schism. But also, with a streaming series that Bezos hopes will push Amazon Prime to new highs, the company would like to have further rights for movies and games.
While nothing is certain until contracts are signed, it does not seem likely that The Walt Disney Company will wade into the Tolkien properties for now. Things can change, however, so we’ll keep an eye on this issue until Mister Frodo finds a new home. After all, there’s still a chance you’ll be riding through the Shire and Mount Doom in a future theme park that is yet still just a dream.
For all the latest news that should be fun, keep checking out That Park Place. Let us know in the comments below who you would like to see grab up the rights to Tolkien’s works!