Tolkien Enterprises
Encyclopedia
Middle-earth Enterprises, formerly known as Tolkien Enterprises, is a trading name
for a division of the Saul Zaentz
Company (SZC) based in Berkeley, California
which owns the worldwide exclusive rights to certain elements of J. R. R. Tolkien
's two most famous literary works; The Lord of the Rings
and The Hobbit
. These elements include the titles of the works, the names of characters contained within as well as the names of places, objects and events within them, and certain short phrases and sayings from the works.
, the author of The Hobbit
and The Lord of the Rings
, sold the film, stage and merchandising rights of those works to United Artists
in 1968, who in turn sold them to the Saul Zaentz Company in 1976 which licenses them through Tolkien Enterprises.
In 1978, Tolkien Enterprises and the distributor United Artists funded an animated version of The Lord of the Rings
directed by Ralph Bakshi
, which covered approximately the first half of the Lord of the Rings.
In 1999, the company severed their licensing agreement with ICE
for role-playing games set in Middle-earth
after ICE ceased developing new products for this line. This contributed to ICE's filing for bankruptcy in 2001. Tolkien Enterprises then made a new licensing agreement with Decipher Inc. for their Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game
.
Principal photography for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was conducted concurrently in New Zealand from October 11, 1999 through to December 22, 2000 for 438 days. Peter Jackson
filmed the whole Lord of the Rings
under license from TE, which went on to win 17 Oscars
and numerous other international and national awards.
In 2002 a video game The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
was produced - based on the licencing of the literary works of Tolkien to Vivendi
, which was based on the book
, in 2003 The Hobbit
video game, which was also produced by Vivendi for a younger age group. At around the same time licensing agreements products relating to the films produced by Peter Jackson
were obtained by Electronic Arts
, leading to the release of a series of games; starting with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)
in 2002. In 2005 EA acquired the rights to produce games based on the literary works as well, producing further titles up to the 2009 release of The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
when the licensing agreement expired.
In August 2004, Tolkien Enterprises sued New Line Cinema
for over $20 million in unpaid royalties, based on the difference between gross
and net profit
s for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and the exact terms of the royalty arrangement between Tolkien Enterprises and New Line Cinema. An out-of-court settlement was reached in August 2005, however details were not released.
At the end of 2008 the license agreement between Electronic Arts and Tolkien Enterprises expired, and the rights to develop video games passed to Warner Brothers
.
In 2010 the name was changed to Middle-earth Enterprises.
Doing business as
The phrase "doing business as" is a legal term used in the United States, meaning that the trade name, or fictitious business name, under which the business or operation is conducted and presented to the world is not the legal name of the legal person who actually own it and are responsible for it...
for a division of the Saul Zaentz
Saul Zaentz
Saul Zaentz is an American film producer and former record company executive. He has won the Academy Award for Best Picture three times and in 1996 was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award....
Company (SZC) based in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
which owns the worldwide exclusive rights to certain elements of J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's two most famous literary works; The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
and The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
. These elements include the titles of the works, the names of characters contained within as well as the names of places, objects and events within them, and certain short phrases and sayings from the works.
Background and history
J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, the author of The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
and The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, sold the film, stage and merchandising rights of those works to United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
in 1968, who in turn sold them to the Saul Zaentz Company in 1976 which licenses them through Tolkien Enterprises.
In 1978, Tolkien Enterprises and the distributor United Artists funded an animated version of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is a 1978 American fantasy film directed by Ralph Bakshi. It contains both animation and live action footage which is rotoscoped to give it a more consistent look throughout the length of the movie. It is an adaptation of the first half of the high fantasy...
directed by Ralph Bakshi
Ralph Bakshi
Ralph Bakshi is an Israeli-American director of animated and live-action films. In the 1970s, he established an alternative to mainstream animation through independent and adult-oriented productions. Between 1972 and 1992, he directed nine theatrically released feature films, five of which he wrote...
, which covered approximately the first half of the Lord of the Rings.
In 1999, the company severed their licensing agreement with ICE
Iron Crown Enterprises
Iron Crown Enterprises was a publisher of role playing, board, miniature battle, and collectible card games.ICE was incorporated in 1980 shortly after the principal founders graduated from the University of Virginia...
for role-playing games set in Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
after ICE ceased developing new products for this line. This contributed to ICE's filing for bankruptcy in 2001. Tolkien Enterprises then made a new licensing agreement with Decipher Inc. for their Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game
Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game
The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, released by Decipher Inc. in 2002, is a role-playing game set in the Middle-earth of J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction. The game is set in the years between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, but may be run at any time from the First to Fourth Age and...
.
Principal photography for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was conducted concurrently in New Zealand from October 11, 1999 through to December 22, 2000 for 438 days. Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
filmed the whole Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
under license from TE, which went on to win 17 Oscars
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
and numerous other international and national awards.
In 2002 a video game The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2002 cross-platform video game developed based on the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. WXP developed the game for Xbox, while Surreal developed the PC and PlayStation 2 version, and Pocket Studios delevoped the game for...
was produced - based on the licencing of the literary works of Tolkien to Vivendi
Vivendi
Vivendi SA is a French international media conglomerate with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications, the Internet, and video games. It is headquartered in Paris.- History :...
, which was based on the book
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom...
, in 2003 The Hobbit
The Hobbit (video game)
The Hobbit is a computer game released in 1982 and based on the book The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was developed at Beam Software by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler and published by Melbourne House for most home computers available at the time, from more popular models such as the ZX...
video game, which was also produced by Vivendi for a younger age group. At around the same time licensing agreements products relating to the films produced by Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
were obtained by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, leading to the release of a series of games; starting with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 cross-platform video game based on Peter Jackson's New Line Cinema films The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...
in 2002. In 2005 EA acquired the rights to produce games based on the literary works as well, producing further titles up to the 2009 release of The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest is an action game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It is based on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and borrows many gameplay mechanics from Pandemic's Star Wars: Battlefront games...
when the licensing agreement expired.
In August 2004, Tolkien Enterprises sued New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
for over $20 million in unpaid royalties, based on the difference between gross
Gross (economics)
In economics, gross means before deductions. The antonym is net, meaning after deductions.-Usage:In this sense, it may appear an adjective, following the noun it modifies, e.g., "earned two million dollars, gross"...
and net profit
Net profit
Net profit or net revenue is a measure of the profitability of a venture after accounting for all costs. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 91 percent responded that they found the "net profit" metric very useful...
s for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and the exact terms of the royalty arrangement between Tolkien Enterprises and New Line Cinema. An out-of-court settlement was reached in August 2005, however details were not released.
At the end of 2008 the license agreement between Electronic Arts and Tolkien Enterprises expired, and the rights to develop video games passed to Warner Brothers
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
.
In 2010 the name was changed to Middle-earth Enterprises.
Licences
As of April 2009, the company's current licensees are as follows.- Adaptations:
- New Line CinemaNew Line CinemaNew Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
- Film rights. - Kevin Wallace LtdKevin WallaceKevin Gerard Wallace was in-house producer with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group for eight years, where he was responsible for Celebration, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 50th Birthday Concert at the Royal Albert Hall starring Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas, Sarah Brightman and Elaine Paige, ...
for a stage production of The Lord of the Rings
- New Line Cinema
- Games
- Video games:
- Up to 2009 Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
- for games based on both books in addition to an official film trilogy license from New Line Cinema. - Post 2009 Warner Bros.Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
- Turbine, Inc.Turbine, Inc.Turbine, Inc. is an American computer game developer that pioneers 3D massively multiplayer online role-playing games . Turbine was founded by Johnny Monsarrat, Jeremy Gaffney, Kevin Langevin, and Timothy Miller, changing their company name in 2005 to Turbine, Inc...
for an online role-playing game, The Lord of the Rings OnlineThe Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of AngmarThe Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game for Microsoft Windows set in a fantasy universe based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings...
- up to 2014
- Up to 2009 Electronic Arts
- Other games:
- Decipher Inc. for the trading card (TCG) and roleplaying games
- Games Workshop PLCGames WorkshopGames Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
for a range of miniaturesMiniature figureA miniature figure is a small-scale representation of a historical or mythological entity used in miniature wargames, role-playing games, and dioramas. Miniature figures are commonly made of metal, plastic, or paper...
, games (The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle GameThe Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle GameThe Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game , and often referred to by players as Lord of the Rings, is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop . It is based on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, and the book that inspired it, written by J. R. R...
and Battle of Five Armies) and Battle Games in Middle-earth magazine - Game Systems International Ltd. (Games Systems Inc.) for Middle-earth Play-By-MailMiddle-earth PBMMiddle-Earth PBM is a turn-based, strategy play by email and play-by-mail game set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including elements from ICE's Middle-earth Role Playingunder licence from GSIL....
released by Game Systems Inc. and the One Ring module of Legends (PBM)Legends (PBM)Legends is an award-winning computer moderated play-by-mail fantasy strategy game. Legends was created in 1986 by Jim Landes from his previous game, Epic. The original system had three paper manuals and operated by print-based turn-sheets via snail mail...
released by Harlequin GamesHarlequin GamesHarlequin Games is a business which designs and moderates PBM games by email of which there Legends engine is the most recognized. From there "" page - "We fuse wild imagination with good game-play in everything we produce and do so with professionalism and love for the hobby...
. - Sophisticated GamesSophisticated GamesSophisticated Games is a UK based developer of board games best known for its series of Lord of the Rings games which are based directly on J. R. R. Tolkien's books rather than the movies...
for a range of board games - Mithril Miniatures for a range of 28 mm scale metal miniatures
- U.S. Games Systems Inc. - a Lord of the rings based Tarot card deck and game.
- Video games:
- Collectables:
- Danbury MintDanbury MintThe Danbury Mint, is a division of MBI, Inc. that markets a variety of collectibles. Danbury Mint historically marketed high quality medals and ingots produced by others exclusively for them. The company also sold numerous other collectible offering including plates, bells, sculptures, etc...
for a variety of related merchandise such as film cells, watches and goblets - Lladró Comercial, S.A.LladróLladró is a Valencian Spanish company based in Tavernes Blanques, Valencia, that produces high quality porcelain figurines.-History:The company was founded in 1953 by three brothers, Juan, José and Vicente Lladró, in the village of Almàssera near Valencia...
- Royal Selangor InternationalRoyal SelangorRoyal Selangor is a Malaysian pewter manufacturer and retailer, the largest of its type in the world. It is recognized as a Malaysian brand icon.-History:...
for a range of pewter goblets, tankards and chess pieces
- Danbury Mint
See also
- Tolkien EstateTolkien EstateThe Tolkien Estate is the legal body which manages the property of the late J. R. R. Tolkien, including the copyright in his works. The individual copyrights have for the most part been assigned by the Estate to subsidiary entities such as the J.R.R. Tolkien Discretionary Settlement and the...
Hereditary owners of the copyrights to Tolkien's works. - :Category:Middle-earth adaptations including the lists of :Category:Middle-earth games, :Category:Middle-earth films and others.
- Middle-earth in video gamesMiddle-earth in video gamesWhile an immense number of computer and video games owe a great deal to J. R. R. Tolkien's works and the many other high fantasy settings based upon his, relatively few games have been directly adapted from his world of Middle-earth...
- for a history of video and computer game adaptions, both licensed and unlicensed. - The Hunt for GollumThe Hunt for GollumThe Hunt for Gollum is a 2009 British fantasy fan film directed by Chris Bouchard and based on the appendices of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The plot of the film is set in Middle-earth, when the wizard Gandalf the Grey fears that Gollum may reveal information about the One Ring to...
a free and unlicenced film.