Film Story Rights?!
Question: Film Story Rights!?
When a film distributor makes a film sequel do they have to have permission from the original screenwriter or just the original distributor!?
Example: the new Friday the 13th film is the 12th sequel in the film series out next year, do New Line Cinema have to buy the right from just Paramount Pictures (Original distributor of first film!.) or just the original screenwriter (Victor Miller) or do they have to buy the rights from both the original distributor and original screenwriter!?Www@Enter-QA@Com
Example: the new Friday the 13th film is the 12th sequel in the film series out next year, do New Line Cinema have to buy the right from just Paramount Pictures (Original distributor of first film!.) or just the original screenwriter (Victor Miller) or do they have to buy the rights from both the original distributor and original screenwriter!?Www@Enter-QA@Com
Answers:
As a contradiction to the first answer, the sequel is out of the screenwriter's hands!. However, if the sequal is interested in using those characters, the rights must be purchased from the screenwriter or creator!. This happened with Shane Black`s lethal weapon!. If the first part of the movie series is sold, only that idea is sold to the production company!. IF they wish to continue to make a sequel, a continuation of character idea must be purchased!. Unless a specified contract says that all characters, ideas, and the story are being sold!.
So to answer your question!. Depending on the contract that was specified with Victor Miller and Paramount, Friday the 13th and its characters were bought by Paramount and therefor have complete jurisdiction over it!. Therefore New Line would have to go to Paramount and request permission or buy the rights from them!.
In addition, story rights are purchased for a duration of time!. SO, in reality, Paramount`s contract with Victor Miller could expire and he would retain all rights with it!. So New Line would have to go to them!.
A good example would be the story rights of the hobbit!. New Line`s contract with the Tolkein family was to be expired and since Jackson`s financial feud with the DVD cuts, MGM would have authority to buy those rights from the ORIGINAL creator of the story!.
Hope This Helps!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
So to answer your question!. Depending on the contract that was specified with Victor Miller and Paramount, Friday the 13th and its characters were bought by Paramount and therefor have complete jurisdiction over it!. Therefore New Line would have to go to Paramount and request permission or buy the rights from them!.
In addition, story rights are purchased for a duration of time!. SO, in reality, Paramount`s contract with Victor Miller could expire and he would retain all rights with it!. So New Line would have to go to them!.
A good example would be the story rights of the hobbit!. New Line`s contract with the Tolkein family was to be expired and since Jackson`s financial feud with the DVD cuts, MGM would have authority to buy those rights from the ORIGINAL creator of the story!.
Hope This Helps!.Www@Enter-QA@Com
Whoever owns the distribution rights at the time!. Sadly, the original screenwriter has no control over sequels once he sells his screenplay to a studio :-(Www@Enter-QA@Com