Things are about to get interesting in the land of Middle Earth. According to Variety, Zaentz Co. is currently looking to sell off its holdings on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit franchises. This includes movie, merchandising, gaming, and live event rights!
The Saul Zaentz Company is the parent company of Middle-Earth Enterprises. The company was formed shortly after J.R.R. Tolkien sold the rights in 1976. Middle-earth Enterprises (originally called Tolkien Enterprises) produced the 1978 adaptation of The Lord of the Rings directed by Ralph Bakshi. From 2001-2003 they went on to produce the infamous Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Throughout the years, the company has had a hand in distribution, producing, and merchandising of the franchise.
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Zaentz Co. has already hired ACF Investment Bank to handle the sale. Bankers will be making rounds in Hollywood to see who will be interested in the franchise. The properties are projected to bring in at least $2 billion based on the popularity and quality of the IP.
Zaentz Co. is currently based in Berkeley, California. While it is also home to The Lord of the Rings (for now), the company has a line of other projects in its history. Zaentz himself first started his career as the leader of Fantasy Records, a jazz and rock label in the 1950s, ’60s, and 70’s. His work in film includes producing films such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus, and The English Patient. All three of these films have earned Oscars for Best Picture.
If you’re a longtime fan of Middle Earth or have only just begun to enjoy the immersive fantasy epic, this is going to be an exciting time for sure. A new home to the franchise will definitely mean more content in the future; the big question, however, will be “How can it hold up?” Despite the first film premiering twenty years ago, the trilogy still brings in fans. Let’s hope that whoever carries ends up carrying these stories will treat them as preciously as we all do.
