New Line Cinema and the heirs to author J.R.R. Tolkien resolved a lawsuit over the “Lord of the Rings” films, paving the way for production of a prequel — “The Hobbit.”

HarperCollins, the publishing company owned by News Corp., the owner of The Post, and the family’s estate were co-plaintiffs in the claim filed in February 2008. The lawsuit sought a share of revenue from the movie trilogy, which brought in $3 billion combined at the box office, and termination of the studio’s rights to “The Hobbit.” Financial terms were not disclosed.