Warner Bros. has fired back at the Tolkien estate in the litigation over Lord of the Rings- and Hobbit-themed slot machines (see "Tolkien Estate Sues Warners"), according to Hollywood Reporter.  The response alleges that the litigation is unjustified and has cost Warners millions of dollars in license fees and lost exposure for The Hobbit films. 

Warners is the second defendant to respond; Saul Zaentz responded earlier (see "Zaentz Countersues Tolkien Estate").

Warners is represented by Daniel Petrocelli, its go-to attorney for high profile intellectual property cases.  Petrocelli is also handling the high stakes battle between Warners and the heirs of Superman creators Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster.  Petrocelli was also Disney’s attorney in its litigation over Winnie the Pooh rights.