Center-earth Enterprises, the corporate that controls licensing rights to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and different works by J.R.R. Tolkien in that universe, has been acquired by gaming large Embracer Group. Embracer has entered right into a take care of present proprietor The Saul Zaentz Firm, which first acquired rights to The Lord of the Rings in 1976.
The Saul Zaentz Firm has been contemplating promoting off Center-earth Enterprises since early this yr, when business insiders anticipated Amazon to be the most definitely candidate to snap up IP rights. The Center-earth properties have been reportedly valued at at the least $2 billion, although each events have agreed to not disclose the ultimate worth determined upon for the sale, which grants Embracer “worldwide rights to movement photos, video video games, board video games, merchandising, theme parks and stage productions,” based mostly on Center-earth.
Embracer will now have monetary curiosity in all upcoming works involving Center-earth, which there are plenty of. The press launch factors to Amazon’s huge Rings of Energy TV collection, which premieres on September 2 on Amazon Prime Video, Warner Bros.’ The Warfare of the Rohirrim animated movie, and EA’s upcoming cellular sport Heroes of Center-earth. There’s additionally Daedalic Leisure’s Gollum sport, and the continued improvement of MMO The Lord Of The Rings On-line.
Embracer’s subsidary Asmodee has lengthy been a licensee of the Center-earth franchises, having printed over a dozen board video games and card video games based mostly on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Within the press launch, the corporate has hinted at future plans for the franchise, saying that it is seeking to discover “extra films based mostly on iconic characters resembling Gandalf, Aragorn, Gollum, Galadriel, Eowyn and different characters from the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien.” For higher or for worse, it appears seemingly Embracer is planning a cinematic universe round Lord of the Rings, following the components Disney pioneered with the MCU.
This acquisition is only one of many made by Embracer this week, with a variety of gaming firms and studios additionally snapped up.
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