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At least CT has in the forefront of his mind his father's own wishes & hopes for the work. I wonder if those who follow him in the role will feel the same need or desire. How far one takes 'respect' for the author's wishes is a vexed question. For instance, Tolkien himself repeatedly attacked the breaking down of literary works in search of 'sources'. He first condemned this approach in the 'Tower' allegory in The Monsters & the Critics essay, & towards the end of his life attacked it in terms of approaching his own work - comparing it to a man who, after eating a meal, uses an emetic & sends the result to a chemist for analysis. Tolkien clearly found such an approach to his work wrongheaded & insulting, & requested it not to be done.
However, he's dead now...
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