I can not call Tolkien an equal compare to Julius Verne , The latter managed to keep distinct from one project to the other...

 Verne is more science oriented while Tolkien attempts to metaphor how 1917 to 1945 dynamics evolved with war all over either psychological or full scale , hobbit or no hobbit even for kids to learn by using mid 11th century to late middle ages patterns like a 100 years before the fall of Constantinople which is a clever gesture.

Verne was preparing / popularizing 20th century science and beyond based on 19th century concepts and findings.

In 2012 Mr. Jackson took the chance to re tell a good tale and fix on the fly what he missed in the original trilogy in 2002 applying different actors mostly.
I have not read Mr. Tolkien's work but it seems more like a retelling , i wonder if Mr. Tolkien would consider writing first hobbit and later the lord of the rings himself.

Frankly i think it needs some kind of a re tell as animated picture itself in like 10 years from now by forking out the best ideas from the exalogy while respecting Mr. Tolkien's original vision intact.

No variants required.

I am missing the Warcraft 2016 try though.