The Movie Rights - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 10-16-2002, 04:49 AM

Don't know if anyone can help, but exactly what film rights did Tolkien sell - was it just for the hobbit & Lord of the Rings, or was it for everything he wrote, or just for all the writings he'd published up to the point he sold the rights.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that there was a company who were planning to make short animated fims of Tolkien's short stories, Niggle, Smith, Giles, etc, but the Tolkien family blocked it. At the same time BBC radio have done radio plays of the short stories.
Finally, as we all know, Christopher Tolkien didn't approve of the current movies being made, so how much say does he have over film rights of the Silmarillion, as he basically put it all together from his father's writings- does he own the whole or partial copyright?

10-16-2002, 04:49 AM	#1
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	The Movie Rights Don't know if anyone can help, but exactly what film rights did Tolkien sell - was it just for the hobbit & Lord of the Rings, or was it for everything he wrote, or just for all the writings he'd published up to the point he sold the rights. I seem to remember reading somewhere that there was a company who were planning to make short animated fims of Tolkien's short stories, Niggle, Smith, Giles, etc, but the Tolkien family blocked it. At the same time BBC radio have done radio plays of the short stories. Finally, as we all know, Christopher Tolkien didn't approve of the current movies being made, so how much say does he have over film rights of the Silmarillion, as he basically put it all together from his father's writings- does he own the whole or partial copyright? __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."