A Southampton, England pub called The Hobbit is under threat by producer Saul Zaentz, who owns the worldwide film, stage and merchandising rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit.

The owners of the pub, which been called "The Hobbit" for more than 20 years, say that the Saul Zaentz Company has given them until the end of May to change the name of the business or face a lawsuit.

They say their website, artwork, font and even drink menu -- with libations named after Lord of the Rings characters -- may also have to go.

The regulars describe the battle as "hobbits vs. orcs," and a Facebook group dedicated to saving the pub now has 7,500 members.

The Hobbit pub isn't the first Tolkien-themed establishment the Zaentz Company has confronted. They've also gone after a café called The Hungry Hobbit, located near Tolkien's childhood home in Birmingham.

[torrentfreak]