Unlike "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, who gave an unqualified thumbs-up to the film version of her book, the family of writer J.R.R. Tolkien is divided over the soon-to-be-released film version of "The Lord of the Rings" and its two planned sequels, Britain's "Independent on Sunday" reported. The movie stars Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins and Ian McKellan as Gandalf. The newspaper said that 77-year-old Christopher Tolkien, one of the late author's children, won't see or talk to his eldest son, Simon Tolkien, 42, because Simon supported the filming of the epic fantasy. Furthermore, Simon, a lawyer, said he has been excluded from the family's business affairs because of his support. Christopher Tolkien has played a major role in overseeing the Tolkien legacy and reportedly disliked earlier attempts at bringing the stories to the screen. (There was a 1978 animated version produced by Ralph Bakshi.) "My father has refused to have anything to do with me or my son, who is 11, for three years, and he has rejected all requests to have a meeting," Simon Tolkien was quoted as saying. "As long ago as 1999, it was my view that we should take a much more positive line on the film, and that was overruled by my father. Following that, I was excluded from the board of the Tolkien company." J.R.R. Tolkien sold the film rights for "The Lord of the Rings" in 1968 for about $14,500.