Variety reports the Tolkien Trust (a British charity that manages the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien) and publisher HarperCollins brought a $150 million lawsuit against New Line Cinema on Monday, claiming the trust has not received any of its gross profit participation payments for the three films based on the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The suit was filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Meanwhile, more legal action unfurled as 20th Century Fox announced it was suing Warner Bros. over the rights to produce and distribute a film based on the DC Comics property Watchmen.

ICV2 reports Zack Snyder is currently shooting the Watchmen film for Warners in Vancouver with a March 6th 2009 release date planned, but Fox’s suit seeks an injunction to stop production until the rights dispute is cleared up.

Categories: British Comics - Books, Film