HBO CEO: We didn’t want a Lord of the Rings TV series because we already have a Game of Thrones franchise

Variety

“I’d rather own our IP (intellectual property) 100%… and I’d rather have the ability to work with a product that is inextricably linked to our brand,” Richard Plepler said of all the Game of Thrones prequels in the works. Plepler also pointed out that HBO’s sister company, Time Warner, will profit from the Lord of the Rings TV series since it’s being co-produced by WB’s New Line Cinema division.