Christopher Tolkien has resigned as director of the Tolkien Estate

This week just keeps delivering Middle-earth surprises. TheOneRing.Net is now reporting that Christopher Tolkien stepped down as director of the Tolkien Estate in late August of this year. For over five decades Mr. Tolkien has acted as the curator and guardian of his father's literary legacy, and I can't overstate the debt of gratitude that all Tolkien fans owe to him. Jump past the break for my thoughts on what this means for the future of J.R.R. Tolkien's books, as well as future movies, games, and TV shows (including the new Amazon series).

This is big news for a variety of reasons. First, Christopher Tolkien has been the face of the Tolkien Estate for decades now, and has been the guiding hand behind the estate's efforts to safeguard JRR Tolkien's legacy and his works. Second, were it not for Christopher Tolkien, much of his father's writings that fans now enjoy would not exist (for example, the Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien, etc.).  Third, with Christopher Tolkien no longer heading the estate, there is an increased possibility that the film/television rights for these other Tolkien works will be sold to studios such as Amazon or Warner Bros. The Silmarillion film that fans have been dreaming of (or dreading) could become a reality.

For me, Christopher Tolkien's decision to bow out as the director of the estate is bittersweet. By the time I was born, JRR Tolkien had already passed away and the Silmarillion was already published. I owe much of my Middle-earth experiences to Christopher Tolkien, and I can only admire his careful stewardship of his father's works and legacy.

The change in guard at the Tolkien Estate has been with met by divided opinions from fans. Many have expressed gratitude for Christopher Tolkien's work and guiding hand. Others are excited that a change in policy at the Tolkien Estate might result in more Middle-earth adaptations. Either way, it's clear that Tolkien's departure will have a significant impact on the future of Middle-earth. The estate still has several members of the Tolkien family on the board, so it will be interesting to see how dramatic a shift in policy will occur with Christopher Tolkien's departure; however, it should be noted that the negotiations between Amazon and the Tolkien Estate took place after Christopher Tolkien's resignation, which suggests that a significant policy shift has already occurred.

How do you feel about this? Are you glad Christopher Tolkien has stepped aside, or are you worried about the possible (accelerated) commercialization of JRR Tolkien's work? Let us know in the comments.