The curse of The Hobbit

There’s a legal joke in there, and it goes something like, “One suit to sue them all. One suit to find them. One suit to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.” For the story of the Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit is not unfolding on the big screen but in the offices of copyright lawyers, Hollywood attorneys and media litigators across the globe. In what is fast becoming one of the most bedevilled productions in movie history, the project is currently burdened with a reported $500 million budget ($100 million of which is allegedly tied up in legal fees), is without major cast members, and is locked in a battle with the unions that involves everyone from the Screen Actors