By Eric Kelsey
LOS ANGELES, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The estate of "The Lord of
the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien and publisher HarperCollins
have filed an $80 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. studios
over the licensing of characters and plots in online and
gambling games derived from the films.
The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los
Angeles on Monday, alleges that Warner Bros. and its subsidiary
New Line Cinema - which own the merchandising rights to the
"Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" brands - infringed on
copyrights by licensing to casino slot machines, online
gambling, games and downloads.
Tolkien's estate accuses Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner
Inc., of "infringing conduct."
"Not only does the production of gambling games patently
exceed the scope of defendants' rights, but this infringing
conduct has outraged Tolkien's devoted fan base, causing
irreparable harm to Tolkien's legacy and reputation and the
valuable goodwill generated by his works," the lawsuit stated.
The suit claimed Warner Bros. earned millions of dollars
from legal merchandise licensing revenue related to "The Lord of
the Rings" trilogy of films, which have grossed nearly $3
billion at the global box office.
The estate of the late English author and HarperCollins, a
division of News Corp., are asking for at least $80 million in
damages.
Representatives for Warner Bros., Tolkien's estate and
HarperCollins were not immediately available for comment.
The lawsuit comes a week ahead of the New Zealand premiere
of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first of a new
trilogy of films returning to Tolkien's world of elves, goblins
and wizards of Middle Earth, based on the "Lord of the Rings"
prequel novel "The Hobbit."
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