Warner Bros. renews The Lord of the Rings rights and confirms new films

Embracer Group and Warner Bros. Discovery have reached an agreement to renew the film rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The Swedish video game giant, which acquired Middle-earth Enterprises in 2022, has given the green light to the deal, which was announced during a Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Discovery has made it clear that it does not intend to produce remakes of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but to explore Middle-earth with new films: "Twenty years ago, New Line took an unprecedented leap of faith to realize the incredible stories, characters and world of The Lord of the Rings on the big screen. The result was a landmark series of films that have been embraced by generations of fans," said Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, heads of Warner Bros. Films.

However, the "dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”

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Peter Jackson's team: "We look forward to speaking with them"

In a statement signed by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, responsible for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, said they had been informed of the new situation: "Warner Bros. and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way. We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”

Embracer Group, on the other hand, welcomed the agreement, saying they plan to "honor the past, look to the future" and "adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values.”

The next movie in Peter Jackson's cinematic universe is The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim, an anime film set for release in April 2024. Meanwhile, Amazon Studios is working on the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Source | The Hollywood Reporter