New Line Evicts Jackson From The Shire

I was disappointed to learn that Peter Jackson is unlikely to direct The Hobbit. (Google News list on this topic here.)

His side of the story is that New Line may not have been honest about the finances for the first three films. Bob Shaye of New Line says, “He thinks that we owe him something after we’ve paid him over a quarter of a billion dollars. … Cheers, Peter.”

Well, then, Bob, audit the books, as Jackson requested, and as he has the contractual right to request. What’s the fuss?

You may also be aware that Wingnut Films has bought a lawsuit against New Line, which resulted from an audit we undertook on part of the income of The Fellowship of the Ring. Our attitude with the lawsuit has always been that since it’s largely based on differences of opinion about certain accounting practices, we would like an independent body – whether it be a judge, a jury, or a mediator, to look at the issues and make an unbiased ruling. We are happy to accept whatever that ruling is. In our minds, it’s not much more complex than that and that’s exactly why film contracts include right-to-audit clauses.

Seems reasonable to me – unless New Line is hiding something. These movies made a lot of money for New Line – and Jackson basically did them on spec, no salary at all, just a cut of the profits. To arbitrarily try to put a cap on Jackson’s pay by saying “He thinks that we owe him something after we’ve paid him over a quarter of a billion dollars” is a straw man and a completely emotional argument. Jackson thinks he is owed something because something in the partial audit made him think New Line’s accounting practices were dicey. Either Jackson is entitled to the money, or not. What he has been paid so far is irrelevant.

But I think that a lot of LOTR fans will think twice before making an expensive trip to the theater to watch The Hobbit and whatever the other prequel is, if Jackson is not the director. I don’t think Jackson’s LOTR can be topped, or even equaled, and New Line should consider that when it considers the bottom line.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Random Yak, Big Dog’s Weblog, Right Truth, basil’s blog, Stuck On Stupid, Conservative Cat, 123 Beta, Rightwing Guy, The HILL Chronicles, stikNstein… has no mercy, The World According to Carl, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Dumb Ox News, Dumb Ox News, High Desert Wanderer, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.