J.R.R Tolkien's family and estate have sued to block production of the upcoming adaptation of "The Hobbit," claiming they are owed $220 million from adaptation profits and should reclaim film rights to the book.

According to School Library Journal, the film rights to the late author's books have traveled through different corporate hands over the years since they were sold in 1969, shuttling from United Artists to New Line Cinema. A Los Angeles law firm is representing the estate in a suit against New Line Cinema, News Corp, and the Tolkien Trust.

Here's more about the film's development: "Guillermo del Toro [will direct] and Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving [are] reprising their roles as Gandalf, Gollum, and Elrond, respectively. According to Bloomberg Media, the three Lord of the Rings films have generated almost $3 billion in worldwide box-office receipts." (Via Publishers Weekly)