LOTR film rights owner makes a windfall

Oops. Someone forgot to check on who owned the rights or miscalculated the royalties...BIG time.

"A movie producer earned $168m from The Lord of the Rings films even though he did not work on the trilogy, trade paper Variety has reported.

Saul Zaentz got the payout from film studio New Line because he bought the rights to JRR Tolkien's books in 1976.

The windfall is revealed in court papers after New Line settled a legal wrangle with Mr Zaentz, Variety said."

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Filmmaker 'earns 94m Pounds from Rings'