The Tolkien Estate and Warner Bros. lawsuit over digital exploitation of "Lord of the Rings" has been settled after a lengthy legal battle lasting almost five years.
The settlement was announced in a court filing that said the film studio and the estate of author J.R.R Tolkien had reached an amicable resolution over a rights dispute, noted Variety.
The conflict dated back to 2012, when book publisher HarperCollins filed an $80 million action against Warner Bros. on the grounds the studio had infringed on copyrights and was in breach of contract.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the original rights agreement allowed for Warner Bros. to create merchandise based upon the book saga, but the publisher claimed that right had been exploited across digital platforms.
The studio’s counterclaim said digital exploitations were within its rights, alleging that repudiation of the original contract had resulted in decreased exposure to Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" and caused Warner Bros. to lose out on millions in licensing.
Although terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, the counterclaim filed by Warner Bros. had been dropped, said The Mirror, and both parties will not recover fees or legal costs.
"The parties are pleased that they have amicably resolved this matter and look forward to working together in the future," said a Warner Bros. spokesperson.
Tolkien fans believe there are more film adaptations in the cards.
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