Originally Posted by Abob Teff (Post 10878103)

I don't know that it is a matter of the author's lifespan ... somebody asked why superhero movies keep getting "re-booted." It really has to do with the studio retaining rights to the characters. Superhero movies get rebooted so that studios do not lose the rights. I don't know if there is one, but if there is a clause, I could see WB coming up with something (spin-off, reboot) so they do not lose the rights to the characters in the Potter-verse.

Originally Posted by whoopdido (Post 10878300)

How popular was The Lord of the Rings in say 1998 or 1999 when negotiations for such a risky endeavor was most likely being discussed?

Honest to God, as a college freshman at that time, I had no idea what The Lord of the Rings was and had never heard of a Hobbit. The series was 50 years old by that time. It was still a younger audience that went to those films.

If made well and, more importantly, marketed well, it probably doesn't matter if the book series is still popular 20 or 30 years ago.

Originally Posted by Drexl (Post 10878493)

The big difference there is that a live-action LOTR film had never been made. There was a lot of anticipation for something that was thought to be unfilmable. Another HP series would be seen as a remake.