Lord of the Rings and more coming to DHS?

[Slowjack]

Punisher was originally a Spiderman villain and Blade was an Avenger at one point. I am not Marvel expert, but I think it would be very hard to find a Marvel character that wasn't at some point tied to Spiderman, X-Men, Avengers or Fantastic 4.

There was a period in which Ghost Rider, voted "most iconic loner" at Superhero high School, was in the Avengers. I wouldn't be surprised if every Marvel hero, and most of the villains, were technically Avengers at some point, if only to score the group discount at the costume store.

 

[nytimez]

Am I the only one that thinks a Smaug themed coaster inside the lonely mountain, with a fre-breathing dragon AA in a treasure chambe would be all kinds of awesome?

A boat ride through Middle Earth wouldn't be incredible? Much more than "hobbits running around mountains."

Well, I'll say people can like/dislike LOTR for any reason they want.

But, anyone who thinks the only good visuals are of New Zealand, that no good rides could possibly come of this (assuming anyone ever gets theme park rights) and that the films are just "hobbits running around mountains" just ain't worth arguing with.

 

[djlaosc]

Am I the only one that thinks a Smaug themed coaster inside the lonely mountain, with a fire-breathing dragon AA though a treasure chamber would be all kinds of awesome?

A boat ride through Middle Earth wouldn't be incredible? Much more than "hobbits running around mountains."

Sounds like a re-themed version of a mixture of Mysterious Island (Journey to the Center of the Earth) and Beastlie Kingdomme (Fantasia boat ride)...

 

[Funmeister]

HA! By Dreamworks, I mean Dreamworks Animation. I should have been clearer. And no, It's absolutely nothing close to Disney or Universal.

I completely disagree about SW. It may be at a lull, but it's still the hottest property out there right now when you are talking about possible theme park implications.

Yeah, I'm a HUGE Start Trek fan and will add that to the list. The list is far from all-encompassing however. Just an example of where I think LOTR would fall. And yes, it's completely subjective.

Cool. Can't leave out DC either. I know Six Flags and WB has those rights but I wish someone would do something of substance with them. BTW whatever happened to Bugs Bunny and Co.? Talk about letting IP rot!

 

[flyerjab]

Am I the only one that thinks a Smaug themed coaster inside the lonely mountain, with a fire-breathing dragon AA though a treasure chamber would be all kinds of awesome?

A boat ride through Middle Earth wouldn't be incredible? Much more than "hobbits running around mountains."

I will admit that not too long ago I posted on this thread that I didn't want LOTR at Comcast or Disney.

That being said, the LOTR (and The Hobbit for that matter) has some of the most iconic imagery of any fantasy story ever written: Rivendell, Caradhras, Moria, Lothlorien, Isengard, Helms Deep, Erebor, Minas Tirith, Mount Doom, Baradur, Minas Morgul, The Paths of the Dead (Universal could knock that out of the park - pardon the pun), Hobbiton, Bree, and I know I haven't listed everything.

I hate that I am actually thinking this through, but you could have Hobbiton, followed by Rivendell at the area where you enter. Then the center could be Lothlorien. Branching out could be different lands - Rohan, Erebor (the Lonely Mountain, Laketown, etc.), Gondor, Mordor.

And think about the characters: Beorn, Treebeard, the Mouth of Sauron, the Eye of Sauron, Smaug, Orcs, Wargs, the Ring Wraiths. You literally could make an entire gate the size of AK just based upon Tolkien's world. I need to watch it or I might actually talk myself into wanting this.

 

[Voxel]

After thinking about this I think the more realistic thing we would see would be something much more different with probably one major Attraction. As we all recall Disney Imagineering once suggested a mountain with Godzilla in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot. What if (just throwing ideas here) they were considering adding a New Zealand Pavilion to Epcot with one of the attractions being based on Lord of the Rings. New Zealand would be a valuable option for Epcot. They have a prominent wine culture (Great for the food and wine festival) and the visual inspiration for Fantasy film. It could be a way to kill two birds with one stone in Epcot. Adding a big expansions with a new Pavilion and attractions that could bring in more money year round.

 

[danlb_2000]

After thinking about this I think the more realistic thing we would see would be something much more different with probably one major Attraction. As we all recall Disney Imagineering once suggested a mountain with Godzilla in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot. What if (just throwing ideas here) they were considering adding a New Zealand Pavilion to Epcot with one of the attractions being based on Lord of the Rings. New Zealand would be a valuable option for Epcot. They have a prominent wine culture (Great for the food and wine festival) and the visual inspiration for Fantasy film. It could be a way to kill two birds with one stone in Epcot. Adding a big expansions with a new Pavilion and attractions that could bring in more money year round.

Or they could just do Soarin' Over Middle Earth.

 

[SirLink]

Wouldn't any negotiations also have to include the Tolkien family?

Seen as it will be based on the movies and theme parks are considered Merchandise - nope.

All thanks to Tolkein selling Film/Stage/Merchandise rights early on thank god.

Edit: Remember Tolkeins kids who haven't done anything of note - want clauses on what can be classed as Merchandise and one would hope any court UK/US/EU would throw them out.

 

[Disday]

If it's true Disney has the rights to LOTR, I think that's fantastic. I'll take LOTR over Harry Potter any day. I read about a survey Disney gave guests about an LOTR land a year or two ago. It sounded great. I wonder where they would put it at DHS. Supposedly, the LOTR land and Star Wars land are the big makeover. Cars Land may have been cancelled.

 

[Bairstow]

There was a period in which Ghost Rider, voted "most iconic loner" at Superhero high School, was in the Avengers. I wouldn't be surprised if every Marvel hero, and most of the villains, were technically Avengers at some point, if only to score the group discount at the costume store.

Seen as it will be based on the movies and theme parks are considered Merchandise - nope.

All thanks to Tolkein selling Film/Stage/Merchandise rights early on thank god.

Edit: Remember Tolkeins kids who haven't done anything of note - want clauses on what can be classed as Merchandise and one would hope any court UK/US/EU would throw them out.

Are you quite certain that the Tolkien Estate have not been involved in the negotiations between New Line and Universal? Everything I've read indicates that they are, and that theme park rights were not within the scope of the 1969 licensing contract.

 

[rioriz]

Sorry Ingo but as others have already stated LOTR>Pixar(minus Cars). With Carsland they pull even

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Maybe Disney just wants the LotR rights so they can do a new line of vinylmation ...


... seems more realistic than actually building an attraction of substance.

 

[Atomicmickey]

Just checking in, have they broken ground yet?

 

[ChrisFL]

If it's true Disney has the rights to LOTR, I think that's fantastic. I'll take LOTR over Harry Potter any day. I read about a survey Disney gave guests about an LOTR land a year or two ago. It sounded great. I wonder where they would put it at DHS. Supposedly, the LOTR land and Star Wars land are the big makeover. Cars Land may have been cancelled.

Sure at the rate they're going, it should be open sometime before 2025. I'd MUCH rather give Uni the rights...they'll actually do full lands and not take a decade to do it.

 

[HTF]

 

[nytimez]

For anyone who wants more on stuff that's far more likely to happen - and stuff that's happening now - I strongly suggest heading over to the Uni thread and reading the latest from @HTF .

 

[Timothy W.]

Last years Hobbit made over a billion.
The following other movies did not even have the extra 3-D help most of the other billion dollar club had.
Return of the King - 1,119,000,000
Two Towers - 926,000,000
Fellowship of the Ring - 873,000,000
Unlike Avatar LOR has a strong fan base that goes from teens to senior citizens.

 

[michmousefan]

Personally, I'd be shocked stoked if Disney shelled out to buy the LOTR rights.

heh.. fixed that for you!

 

[SirLink]

Are you quite certain that the Tolkien Estate have not been involved in the negotiations between New Line and Universal? Everything I've read indicates that they are, and that theme park rights were not within the scope of the 1969 licensing contract.

Tolkein sold the Stage/Film/Merchandise rights to Saul Zaentz. Any court would find Theme Parks to be defined as Merchandise thus they have no say. Tolkein kids just want to live off his estate, and claim things like New Line didn't have the rights to make movie versions, etc. The estate are kinda like patent trolls just wanting something they don't have a piece of. Likewise the Tolkein kids have the rights to books and now audiobooks.

Unless Universal wanted to use the books as inspiration then yes 100% they would have to talk to the Tolkein estate - and they would instantly say "No".

 

[awoogala]

I would give a lot to visit Rivendell. I think LOTR is a brilliant idea, and if Uni gets it off the ground, Disney would lose a day or more to UNI for us. HP has already stolen 2 days from our Disney trip for our next trip. Uni grabbing another incredible fantasy series? Yes, my 11 year old son would be in heaven, I would be in heaven. I think the fantasy/sci-fi genre is largely untapped in parks. Disney has been sitting on Star Wars for decades, like idiots. Star Wars weekends should have been a good enough proof to them that MORE star Wars would have been a brilliant idea. I know a lot of people who don't do "Disney", but they make it to Star Wars weekends. More Star Wars would have given them a different audience.
I think LOTR will do this, if UNI manages it.