Confirming rumors that did the rounds last year, the trades are reporting that more movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy adventure novels, The Lord of the Rings, are officially in-development.
New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures have signed a new multi-year agreement with Embracer Group AB’s Middle-Earth Enterprises to team on new movies set in Middle-earth.
We have no idea which time period/Age these films will take place in, but WBD now has access to the trilogy's most iconic characters such as Gandalf, Aragorn, Frodo and Gollum. Direct remakes seem unlikely, but who knows?
“We understand how cherished these works are and working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, we plan to honor the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values,” said Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode.
Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy also weighed in, making it clear that they have no interest in a retread of Jackson's 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. But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and 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.”
We're sure you guys will have strong opinions on this news, so drop us a comment down below!
UPDATE: LOTR trilogy director Peter Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have released a statement in response to the news, and it sounds like they may be involved with these new films in some capacity.
“Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way,” the Oscar-winning trio said. “We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”