Polychron’s initial suit, launched in April, was an expansive campaign against Amazon’s entities, key executives, and even Tolkien’s own grandson, Simon Tolkien. The suit spun a tale of Polychron seeking a collaboration with the Tolkien estate after the copyright registration of his first book. But, his overtures were met with silence, only to later discover a $250 million deal between Amazon and the Tolkien estate, ostensibly based on his works.
Drawing Parallels with Past Precedents
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson equated the situation with the 1989 U.S. district court’s ruling in Anderson v. Stallone. The resemblance? In both scenarios, a continuation of an established series seemed derivative, and therefore, not entitled to copyright protection. In Polychron’s case, his narratives seemed to be a straightforward continuation of “The Lord of the Rings.”
Silence from the Defenders of Middle-Earth and Amazon
While representatives for the Tolkien estate chose to remain mum, contacts for Amazon and Polychron’s counsel did not promptly address requests for remarks.
