‘The Shire’ Theme Park Trademark Filed: Universal Orlando Updates
Could This Coming to the Universal Theme Parks?
Middle-earth Enterprises has filed new U.S. trademark applications for “THE SHIRE” and “LA COMARCA,” and both applications identify “Providing theme park services” in International Class 041. The filings are real, current, and relevant to anyone watching the future of The Lord of the Rings in location-based entertainment.
What they do not do is confirm a Lord of the Rings land at Universal Orlando Resort. Universal has announced no Middle-earth project for Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe, or another Orlando property. Still, the filings arrive while Universal is actively dismantling The Lost Continent, making the timing difficult for theme-park fans to ignore, as Inside the Magic has documented in its coverage of the land’s demolition.
Middle-earth Enterprises Files New Theme Park Trademarks
The applications were filed August 31, 2026, by Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC. “THE SHIRE” carries serial number 50082608, while “LA COMARCA” carries serial number 50082596; both list the theme-park-services description. “La Comarca” is the Spanish-language rendering of “The Shire” in the Tolkien context.
There is an important legal distinction. These are intent-to-use applications, not proof that a theme park has been licensed, designed, approved, or scheduled for construction. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s guidance on intent-to-use applications explains that such a filing represents a bona fide intention to use a mark in commerce in the future, and actual use must later be demonstrated before registration can issue.
Crucially, these concepts have appeared in U.S. trademark records before. Records indexed by Justia show applications for “THE SHIRE” and “LA COMARCA” covering theme park services were filed in July 2022, and an earlier “THE SHIRE” application for theme park services dates to 2015. The 2026 paperwork is therefore not, by itself, evidence that Universal has just struck a new deal.
Why Universal Orlando Is Immediately Part of the Conversation
The Universal connection comes from years of speculation, not from these applications. Before Epic Universe opened, Lord of the Rings was repeatedly discussed in theme-park circles as a potential Universal-scale property. Inside the Magic previously covered speculation surrounding a possible Lord of the Rings theme park project, though no Orlando land was confirmed.
Epic Universe ultimately opened in May 2025 with Celestial Park, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. Middle-earth was not one of its opening worlds.
That leaves the obvious question: if Tolkien’s world ever does come to Universal Orlando, where could it go? Right now, Islands of Adventure offers the most tempting canvas for speculation because one of its original areas is already being erased.
The Lost Continent Creates an Obvious Opening — But Not an Answer
The Lost Continent has been steadily disappearing from Islands of Adventure. Poseidon’s Fury closed in 2023, demolition later moved through the former attraction area, and Inside the Magic has documented the continuing removal of the original land. Universal’s current interactive map still identifies The Lost Continent and Toon Lagoon as distinct areas of Islands of Adventure.
Universal has also confirmed that the remaining Lost Continent venues and experiences, including Mythos Restaurant, are headed for closure in 2027. That gives Universal real estate capable of supporting a new identity, with Inside the Magic’s coverage of the announced Lost Continent closures tracking those changes.
It does not tell us what that identity will be. Inside the Magic has also covered substantial Pokémon speculation surrounding The Lost Continent. No publicly announced Universal plan currently establishes either Pokémon or Middle-earth as the replacement.
Toon Lagoon Rumors Should Be Treated Separately
Toon Lagoon has also appeared in years of fan discussion about possible replacements at Islands of Adventure, but the current evidence does not connect the new Middle-earth trademark applications to that land.
In fact, Universal’s recently announced Toon Lagoon work includes a temporary 2027 closure of Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges, not the confirmed elimination of Toon Lagoon for a Tolkien project. Inside the Magic reported the 2027 Toon Lagoon attraction closure earlier this week. Treating refurbishment activity as proof of a Middle-earth takeover would go beyond the evidence.
For guests, that distinction is important. There is no announced closing date for Toon Lagoon as a whole tied to Lord of the Rings, no announced Shire attraction, and no Universal-issued concept art showing Hobbiton replacing an existing Islands of Adventure land.
What the Filings Actually Tell Us About Middle-earth’s Future
The strongest takeaway is broader than Universal Orlando. Middle-earth Enterprises openly promotes “Location Based Experiences” on its official website, describing Tolkien’s world as a setting for real-world immersive experiences. The company also says it controls worldwide motion-picture, merchandising, stage, and other rights in certain Tolkien works, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Now, its latest U.S. filings again specifically protect “THE SHIRE” and “LA COMARCA” for theme park services. That is meaningful legal groundwork and a clear signal that theme-park use remains within the rights-holder’s commercial planning. It is not confirmation of where, when, or with whom such use will happen.
Universal Orlando is especially interesting because the resort is already changing. The Lost Continent is being dismantled, Epic Universe has demonstrated Universal’s appetite for deeply immersive franchise worlds, and existing-park redevelopment continues.
For now, however, Middle-earth has not conquered Islands of Adventure. The paperwork puts The Shire back on the theme-park radar; the next evidence to watch for would be a licensing announcement, Universal confirmation, permits tied to a specific project, or other documentation connecting these marks to an actual destination.
