Previous Mgmt & Missed Tolkien Opportunity for Mickey

There seem to be a lot of articles, no idea how credible the sources might be, about Tolkien loathing Walt Disney.

I think Disney would've (and would still) F%# it up if they got the rights to Tolkien. I will admit they didn't totally screw up Marvel. Haven't been there yet, but Avenger's Campus sounds cool. And Pandora as a land is kinda neat, (FoP is fabulous,) and they didn't totally screw up Batuu......there IS a Millenium Falcon there, and I did get to fly it into hyperspace, but the rest is nowhere near as immersive as it should/could be. (PLEASE bring back something like Star Wars weekends!!, character meals, and another ride!)

Now....let's move down the road to a place who "might" do it justice: Universal. If they do anything close to what they've done with the Wizarding World, it would be awesome. Diagon Alley is the most immersive theme park area I've ever been in. I haven't been to any of the Nintendo lands, but most say they're also incredibly immersive.

Many, many articles posted around August, 2022, after this acquisition, discussing rumors of Middle Earth at the new Epic Universe, but not much since then. I think Epic will be full enough with the rumored HP expansion, classic monsters, How to Train your Dragon, and their Nintendo land, but there are rumored to be 5 areas.....so, maybe something there for LotR, or maybe in a further expansion. Who knows. none of the areas listed have even been confirmed.

Maybe it would be better if both Disney/Universal left it alone, let someone else do it. But out of Disney and Universal, the latter would do a MUCH better job with it. Poseidon's Fury just finally closed, and Universal has been completely mum on what's going on there and in the rest of that entire land.....We're hoping Zelda, but who knows.

Some might argue that they screwed it up simply by making it a new land/story. Now every single person that goes in there that isn't into Star Wars (myself included) says, why is everything different than the REAL Star Wars movies? (Real meaning the first three and don't gimme any of these crazy names or crazy numbers...everyone knows what I'm talking about)

I've always cared about more than the parks, and unfortunately Tom is accurate.  They could really use a tremendous box office performance or two and hope it can become the next franchise (or franchise offshoot).  Unfortunately don't see it happening anytime soon. 

And needless to say the idiot politicians (on all sides) and those who can be swayed by anything they say are of zero assistance...

I very much appreciate the comments, regarding which I would offer two responses.

First, although Disney stock is having a rocky time, I don't really feel that is everything is going wrong for Disney.  Elemental's second weekend box office drop was small compared to immediate competition.  On June 5th, S&P raised the bond rating on a bunch of Disney bonds from BBB+ to A-.  According to my broker's website today, as of 7/15, Disney is making a "total call" of $300 M in 7.55% very long-term bonds -- i.e., using assets to pay them off seven decades early at a 3% premium, for a total amount roughly commensurate with the cost of the Tolkien IP deal.  Other non-callable, very long-term Disney bonds are currently selling at 42% above par.

Second, the currently un-produced, home run Tolkien IP waiting for someone is the story of Luthien and Beren (and Luthien's canine friend, Huan the thrice-speaking and possibly angelic wolfhound) and their struggle against Morgoth, Sauron's boss.  It is hard for me to predict the ultimate viewership demand for it, if the Tolkien Estate licensed it, given that the story of the Silmarils will be unfamiliar to most everyone, and is bittersweet.  But its unfamiliarity is perhaps the point, in a world of endlessly recycled plots.