Peter Jackson Wants To Make More Tolkien Films, But Will He Be Allowed?

Peter Jackson has admitted that he would love to delve back into the cannon of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels and make more movies based on his books.

However there’s just one problem — he needs to get the cooperation from the Tolkien estate in order to make these films. And in the past, Tolkien’s son Christopher has publicly chastised Jackson’s adaptations of his father’s work.

Ahead of the released of the third and final Hobbit film, The Battle Of The Five Armies, which is set to open in theaters on December 12, Jackson admitted that he would be interested in returning to Middle-earth by overseeing another adaptation of one of Tolkien’s novels.

Many other of Tolkien’s books take place in the same fictional universe as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. According to NME, after being asked at a press conference in London whether he might adapt another Tolkien book in the future Jackson explained why he’s not sure if he’ll legally be able to.

“It’s a legal thing. The Tolkien estate owns the writings of Professor Tolkien — The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings were sold by Professor Tolkien in the late 60s… the film rights. But they are the only two works of his that have been sold. So without the cooperation of the Tolkien estate, there can’t be more films.”

However, Jackson might find himself facing some backlash if he is able to adapt another of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, especially from the youngest son of the writer, 90-year-old Christopher Tolkien. He has previously criticised Jackson’s interpretations of his father’s novels.

Christopher was especially critical of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, declaring, “They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25.” He also went on to admit that the family had actually turned down the chance to meet Peter Jackson, who won an Oscar for directing Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Christopher Tolkien has also previously been wrangled in legal fights with New Line Cinema over unpaid royalties regarding the adaptations of his father’s work. In 2008, he sought $125 million for him and his family, but in September 2009 they reached an settlement with the studio.

Christopher Tolkien, who edited much of his father’s work after his death, has also previously insisted that his father would be entirely dismayed by the commercial success of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

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