Ser Drewy Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/game-of-thrones-author-george-r-r-martin-suing-over-skin-trade-film-rights I didn't even really know this was a thing. Seems GRRM is pursuing legal action against a company who had the rights to his werewolf novella, 'The Skin Trade' and failed to do anything with it for years until attempting hold onto the rights by making a thrown together project at the last minute. It's been years since I read the novella, although I do remember liking it. I wonder how GRRM will fare legally, given the company seem to have hoarded the rights and done nothing with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 15 minutes ago, Ser Drewy said: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/game-of-thrones-author-george-r-r-martin-suing-over-skin-trade-film-rights I didn't even really know this was a thing. Seems GRRM is pursuing legal action against a company who had the rights to his werewolf novella, 'The Skin Trade' and failed to do anything with it for years until attempting hold onto the rights by making a thrown together project at the last minute. It's been years since I read the novella, although I do remember liking it. I wonder how GRRM will fare legally, given the company seem to have hoarded the rights and done nothing with them. Isn’t that what a company did with Wheel of Time? Even going so far as filming a pilot with Billy Zane or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 I know it happened with The Fantastic Four once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 39 minutes ago, Rhom said: Isn’t that what a company did with Wheel of Time? Even going so far as filming a pilot with Billy Zane or something? Oh yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 45 minutes ago, Rhom said: Isn’t that what a company did with Wheel of Time? Even going so far as filming a pilot with Billy Zane or something? Yes, although the situations are different. Risible as it was, Red Eagle did get The Winter Dragon filmed, completed and aired. They did fulfil - if only technically - the requirements of the contract. There was also an extenuating circumstance which has come to light more recently: Red Eagle had set up development meetings with Sony Television earlier in 2015 which led directly to the current Amazon Prime TV deal. However, delays and various issues resulted in a concern that they would lose their WoT rights and then the Jordan Estate could proceed directly with a deal with Sony cutting them out of the process, although they had in fact actually done some work (for once) and gotten the deal on the table. They felt that making the pilot was therefore necessary to protect their interest (in fact it's how they got the pilot made, because they could make a case for reclaiming the cost from their cut of the TV deal). This makes the reason for doing what they did a tad more comprehensible. The situation with GRRM is much, much more clear cut: although production on the project started, it was not completed and it was not aired. The Fantastic Four Corman movie was completed as well but not aired (but the deal in that case did not require the film to be aired). Starting production but not completing it to solely hold onto the rights is a bad faith move, and may even be fraudulent. I suspect GRRM will get the rights returned to him relatively quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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