IAN McKELLEN as Gandalf in New Line Cinema’s and MGM’s fantasy adventure “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY,†a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo: Todd Eyre/Warner Bros
The estate of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as publisher HarperCollins, are going after Warner Bros. for $80 million related to “online slot machines and other digital merchandising.†(What? Who are all these people playing online LOTR slots?!) Tolkien’s estate tells Deadline “this exploitation of Tolkien’s well-loved work has offended and distressed Tolkien’s devoted fans, harming Tolkien’s legacy and reputation.†Recall that Tolkien’s estate settled with New Line three years ago for a suit that started at $150 million.