Swedish Video Game Company Acquires Global Rights To J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of The Rings’ And ‘The Hobbit’
By Movieguide® Staff
Embracer Group, a Swedish video game company, recently acquired Middle-earth Enterprises, which owns the intellectual property and global rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein.
The deal means that Embracer Group will oversee any motion picture, video game, board game, merchandise, theme parks, and other media relating to the LOTR and Hobbit franchises.
“I am truly excited to have The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, one of the world’s most epic fantasy franchises join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group,” Lars Wingefors, Founder and Group CEO Embracer Group, said. “I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group. Going forward, we also look forward to collaborating with both existing and new external licensees of our increasingly stronger IP portfolio.”
Embracer Group acquired the monumental IP catalog from The Saul Zaentz Company, which had rights to the Middle-earth franchises for the past 50 years.
Marty Glick, COO of The Saul Zaentz Company, added: “We at the Zaentz Company have had the honor over the past half century of stewarding the Tolkien rights so that Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fans worldwide could enjoy award winning epic films, challenging video games, first rate theatre and merchandise of every variety. We could not be more thrilled that it is Embracer now taking up the responsibility and we are confident their group will take it to new heights and dimensions while maintaining homage to the spirit of these great literary works.”
Upcoming projects include Amazon’s highly-anticipated series THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on Sept. 2.
Movieguide® previously reported of the upcoming series:
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of The Rings,” the Amazon Prime project also announced its cast. While the series plans to introduce new characters to fans of Middle Earth, THE RINGS OF POWER will feature familiar names like Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo).
According to the show’s creators, Patrick McKay and John D. Payne, the story follows 22 different characters and their involvement in the “forging of the rings.”
“Rings for the elves, rings for dwarves, rings for men, and then the one ring Sauron used to deceive them all. It’s the story of the creation of all those powers, where they came from, and what they did to each of those races,” McKay told Variety. “Can we come up with the novel Tolkien never wrote and do it as the mega-event series that could only happen now?”
Payne in McKay revealed that they were the surprise choice to direct the LOTR series, a franchise with a loyal fanbase and high standards.
Despite 13 years of work in Hollywood, their first listed credit on IMDb is THE RINGS OF POWER.
“We felt like hobbits,” Payne said. “We felt like two very small people in a very big world who had just been entrusted with something that meant so much to so many different people. Patrick and I will often look at each other in challenging moments of the show and say, ‘I’m glad you’re with me, Sam.’”
“From the very beginning, I trusted these guys,” director J.A. Bayona said. “I knew what they were going through and they knew what I was going through also, because can you imagine going back to such a beloved world and [facing] the high bar of the Peter Jackson movies? We were, all the time, very aware of the massive expectations.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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