Announced today, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired the official US publishing rights from Harper Collins UK to publish the official tie-in books to the upcoming “The Hobbit” movies. Warner Bros. Consumer Products, the owners of the movie rights to The Hobbit, allowed the Boston based publisher the rights through a licensing agreement to continue to publish the works of JRR Tolkien here in the United States.
Via the official Press Release on The Wall Street Journal:
“Inspired by the two films based on The Hobbit, the companion books are a fantastic way for fans of the world of Middle-earth to immerse themselves in the film experience,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has a strong history with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and we know that the detailed tie-in books will bring The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again to life in an in-depth and imaginative way.”
Gary Gentel, President of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Trade and Reference Division, said, “As the long time U.S. publisher of J.R.R. Tolkien, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and HarperCollins UK on the release of the tie-in book editions of the two films based on The Hobbit into the U.S. market and to offer these marvelous books in all formats to the millions of fans.”
According to the Press Release, the deal includes five different titles: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visual Companion by Jude Fisher, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide by Brian Sibley, The World of the Hobbits, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Almanac and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Photo Storybook. All books are due to be released November 2012.
The Hobbit, first published in the UK in 1937, as gone on to sell 100 million copies over the past 75 years. The book was first published by George Allen and Unwin in the UK, Houghton Mifflin brought the book to the United States with it’s first publication in 1938. Since then, the book has gone on to become the fourth best selling book of all time, right behind The Lord of the Rings.
Stay tuned as more information becomes available on all of your Hobbit movie needs!
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