Christopher Tolkien

Does anybody know if he´s somewhat involved in the movies? Does he earn any royalties? Has he "given his leave" for filming?...

Well, I assume that Tolkien Estate/Enterprises/whatever has to have given the appropriate permissions in order for filming to start, but I don't know if Christopher would be personally involved in any of it. Of course, I don't know any of that for a fact :P

I can't be 100% sure, but I think Tolkien sold the movie rights during his lifetime. I skimmed through Letters yesterday looking for a reference, but I couldn't find anything... Beyond JRRT's trashing of a proposed animated film in the 60s and a statement along the lines that he wanted lots and lots of artistic control over any potential film, unless he got tons of money for the rights. Anyway, I'm fairly sure that I've heard something to the effect that JRRT sold the rights before he died. At any rate the movie rights would have been sold a long time ago. R Bakshi had them over 20 years ago. I think PJ had to obtain them from him. PJ wouldn't have been dealing with the Tolkien Estate for them, if I understand how these things work. As far as royalties go, I'm sure the Tolkien Estate will be earning some. As to Christopher himself, I don't know, but he is the executor...

All I know is he's the only member of the Tolkien estate who wants to have anything to do with these movies and approves their being made.

Christopher Tolkien is not involved with the movies and he and other members of the Tolkien family have reportedly stated more than once they would have preferred the movies not be made. Christopher's son is rumored to have accepted a small role in the films, against his father's wishes. J.R.R. Tolkien sold the film rights to THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS in the 1960s. Saul Zaentz acquired those rights in the 1970s and he set up Tolkien Enterprises, a division of The Saul Zaentz Company, Inc., to administer the rights. All the movies, television shows, stage plays, toys, games, and other Middle-earth commercial operations over the past 23 years have been licensed through Tolkien Enterprises. The Tolkien Estate has nothing to do with it. The Tolkien Estate oversees JRRT's literary properties. Many people are understandably confused about the two entities. It was Tolkien Enterprises that registered most if not all of the trademarks associated with Middle-earth, but it's the Tolkien Estate which determines who may use the copyrighted works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

wow, thanks. And welcome to Entmoot

Wow, thanks. And welcome to Enmoot I should really change my screen name to DarthNut :P

Is there an echo in here???

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Wow! Thanks for all the great info! Welcome to the board. Nice to meet you. Yeah, I think there IS an echo in here! :-)

I appreciate the words of welcome. I don't know how regular a participant I can be. Except for my own message boards at Xenite.Org, I sort of come and go in other forums (I have a lot to keep up with). But I don't plan to be a one-time wonder here. This seems like a very pleasant and interesting community. I'm glad I found Entmoot.

Are you "The Wolf" that was paged by Eruve?

But you sure have a way of stomping out topics, Michael. How can we respond to your obviously correct explanations? How can we dare to argue with one of the great lore masters? Just make sure you bring up some new things for us to argue about. We're getting a little stale, and need a fresh breeze to liven things up.

I didn't page him, Hernalt, I thought YOU might have! MM doesn't "know" me, and I don't really know him. I've just read his posts on the JRRT newsgroups.

: But you sure have a way of stomping out topics, Michael. How can we respond to : your obviously correct explanations? How can we dare to argue with one of the : great lore masters? You don't get out much, do you? [Believe me -- LOTS of people disagree with me.] If you disagree with me, disagree with me. All I ever ask of people is they not resort to putting words into my mouth, making disparaging remarks about my character, or otherwise cast aspersions upon me simply because they cannot get me to agree with what they say. It's one thing to disagree with someone. It's another to imply there is something wrong with the other guy just because you can't get him to say, "You're right." : Just make sure you bring up some new things for us to argue about. We're getting : a little stale, and need a fresh breeze to liven things up. Hm. Looking to me, the Steadfast Adherent of Tolkien Purism, for new stuff might be a little frustrating. But what do you folks think of the "Elessar" movie by Elemental Films, which now appears to have vanished into the oblivion of legal obstruction?

All I would like to say, is welcome and thank you

lol! Just learn not to take us seriously when we're joking! (great lore master indeed :P) I think the Elessar movie sounds cool, but will doubtlessly be over-Hollywoodized. I probably won't see it.

Don't worry, I always want to argue!