›

Question (EON & Fleming Family Estate)

OligarchOligarch Banned
edited January 2013 in Literary 007 Posts: 110
Can somebody explain the position of power of the bond franchise weighing between the Fleming Estate and EON ? For instance the Fleming family estate chose Deaver for the last book, and now William Boyd. But I'm assuming EON has no say in who writes the books and how they are written?

and I'm also assuming the Fleming family estate has no say in the films interpretation of Bond?

but what is both sides powers over Bond is what I am simply asking

Comments

  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,138
    Here's wikipedias answer for you...
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eon_Productions

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming_Publications

    When in doubt google and wikipedia are your friends
  • OligarchOligarch Banned
    Posts: 110
    Thank you
  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    I'd love to know if eon's rights would prohibit other production companies bringing the fabulous "Young Bond" series of books to the screen or indeed the equally tremendous "Moneypenny Diaries".
    Does anyone out there know?
    I'd love to see these to brought to either the small or big screen.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Pretty sure EON have any adaptation rights of anything to do with the Bond universe fairly solidly locked down.

    I imagine its a tad frustrating for the likes of Higson and the studio as with Harry Potter now out of the picture theres a nice gap in the market. They must be gagging to film the Young Bond stories especially with SF so big at the moment. But I don't think EON will want to risk anything impacting on Craig's tenure.

    One day I suppose it might happen but then is one of the reasons they have never done any of Gardners books because they would have to pay more in royalties? If you own the sole film rights to the character there's no need to adapt these books. If they could reboot Bond in CR theres nothing to stop them rebooting him again and making him a kid as long as they didnt use any of Higsons characters or titles.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Villiers53 wrote:
    I'd love to know if eon's rights would prohibit other production companies bringing the fabulous "Young Bond" series of books to the screen or indeed

    I think a TV show might be a better option for the Young Bond books.

    I haven't read them but I'm assuming that they're like the Fleming books more than anything else? I think TV would allow them to be more faithful to the books, if they were made as films then they might feel pressured into making them more like the film series.

    Also, putting them on the big screen and it could impact on the film series.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    I think Eon comes close to stepping over the line with IFP at times: License Renewed/License Revoked and Colonel Sun/Colonel Moon.

    Presumably, it costs less to license characters (a la SF) than to pay the fees associated with adapting an entire book or using a title.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Glidrose/IFP get 10% profits from every James Bond film for the use of the character name/title of the film. They have no rights over the contents of the films, just as EON has no rights over who they choose as continuation Bond author. They are tweo separate entities. The Gardner et al books are not touched as they would have at least another 10% (I'm taking an educated guess here) slapped on their pay-out along with the Fleming Estate ran by IFP. 20% of profits being one-fith - a lot of money! Hence why Gardner et al's books remain unfilmed...
  • Villiers53Villiers53
    Posts: 802
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Glidrose/IFP get 10% profits from every James Bond film for the use of the character name/title of the film. They have no rights over the contents of the films, just as EON has no rights over who they choose as continuation Bond author. They are tweo separate entities. The Gardner et al books are not touched as they would have at least another 10% (I'm taking an educated guess here) slapped on their pay-out along with the Fleming Estate ran by IFP. 20% of profits being one-fith - a lot of money! Hence why Gardner et al's books remain unfilmed...

    Very insightful!
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    When do EON's rights on the screen Bond character run out? Does there come a point when the character becomes public property and anyone can make a Bond film, or does EON have this for perpetuity?

    Presumably there is a fairly fast approaching point where the literary character becomes public property and anyone can write a Bond story or republish them?
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    Benny wrote: »
    Here's wikipedias answer for you...
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eon_Productions

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming_Publications

    When in doubt google and wikipedia are your friends

    Neither of these Wikipedia entries actually tells us very much at all.
  • KronsteenKronsteen Stockholm
    Posts: 783
    Getafix wrote: »
    When do EON's rights on the screen Bond character run out? Does there come a point when the character becomes public property and anyone can make a Bond film, or does EON have this for perpetuity?

    Presumably there is a fairly fast approaching point where the literary character becomes public property and anyone can write a Bond story or republish them?

    In most countries the rights expire 70 years after the creators death. In Britain and USA (as well as most european countries) Ian Flemings works will therefore become public property in 2034, and there's nothing to do about it. It's already public property in Canada, where they have
    50 years copyright.

    What happens with the rest of the novels I don't know, but I guess EON own the rights to those until their creators deaths. Amis passed away in 1995 and Gardner in 2007 (so the rights expire in 2065 and 2077 respectively).
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Actually rights expire the year after the 70th year, meaning that Bond will enter public domain in 2035.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    But that's the literary character. Does the same apply to the character on screen?

    Has EON ever commented on this publicly? With less than two decades to go until Bond becomes public domain, there is potentially not much time left for EON before rival Bond franchises and spin offs start cropping up everywhere.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    edited November 2016 Posts: 3,157
    Getafix wrote: »
    But that's the literary character. Does the same apply to the character on screen?

    Of course not.
    Once the literary character enters public domain, everybody will be able to make James Bond movies, as long as the character is based on Fleming's Bond. Movie James Bond will still be under copyright.
    Getafix wrote: »
    But that's the literary character. Does the same apply to the character on screen?

    And I can't wait for that. There will be lots of trash but also someone who will finally make a Bond movie with no "slide whistle", invisible cars or step-brother nonsense and faithfully based on Bond books.

    I wonder whether SPECTRE and Blofeld will enter public domain, though.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    But what is to differentiate a Bond film based on Fleming and one based on film Bond? Surely the distinction is so academic that it will be impossible for EON to retain any kind of control.

    I agree that it would be great to have some wonderful new period Bond films. But what's concerning is whether there be the financial incentive to make any films if there's basically a free for all on the character?

  • KronsteenKronsteen Stockholm
    Posts: 783
    EON has the rights to make movies from the novels of Fleming, but 2035 (thanks for the correcton @Walecs) no one will, or can, have the rights. They will be free for all to use.
    Getafix wrote: »
    But what is to differentiate a Bond film based on Fleming and one based on film Bond? Surely the distinction is so academic that it will be impossible for EON to retain any kind of control.

    Everything else that is copyrighted within the EON franchise will of course not enter public domain, like the gunbarrel and the James Bond theme. EON can keep control of everything that is copyrighted and, I suppose, everything that is written in the recent scripts(?).

    Walecs wrote: »
    I wonder whether SPECTRE and Blofeld will enter public domain, though.

    I don't know the whole story, but I always thought that the court proceedings around Thunderball led to that McClory got the producing rights and Fleming got sole writing credits. I could be wrong though, McClory might also be a co-creator and therefore Thunderball wouldn't enter public domain at the same time as the rest of the novels.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2016 Posts: 18,281
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I plan on being dead in 2035.

    Yes, I was going to post something like that. It'll be a free-for-all and quality control will be out the window!
  • KronsteenKronsteen Stockholm
    Posts: 783
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I plan on being dead in 2035.

    Yes, I was going to post something like that. It'll be a free-for-all and quality control will be out the window!

    I feel quality control been out the window since '97. I only see possibilities with this!
  • SeanCraigSeanCraig Germany
    edited November 2016 Posts: 732
    Kronsteen wrote: »
    I don't know the whole story, but I always thought that the court proceedings around Thunderball led to that McClory got the producing rights and Fleming got sole writing credits. I could be wrong though, McClory might also be a co-creator and therefore Thunderball wouldn't enter public domain at the same time as the rest of the novels.
    I read quite a bit about it including the "Battle for Bond" book and as far as I understood:

    - Fleming kept the copyright of everything Bond
    - The Thunderball novel must show the story is based on the screenplay developed by McClory's, Whittingham and Fleming
    - McClory got the screen rights based on the Thunderball story, only. He planned often to start a rival series but he could only use the characters when the story is based on Thunderball and nothing else.

    EoN purchased those disturbing rights from the McClory estate so for now nobody else could do anything besides them. There is nothing left that's not under EoNs control for movie adaptions. But once the novels enter public domain, everybody can use those stories and characters ... including Spectre and Blofeld. At least that's my understanding.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Now that I think about it, SPECTRE and Blofeld are in public domain in Canada as they were featured in the "Licence Expired: The Unauthorized James Bond" book.
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited November 2016 Posts: 11,425
    We should crowd fund our own Bond movie in Canada. Get Aiden Turner on board
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Kronsteen wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I plan on being dead in 2035.

    Yes, I was going to post something like that. It'll be a free-for-all and quality control will be out the window!

    I feel quality control been out the window since '97. I only see possibilities with this!

    Yes, that's another way of looking at it!
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Getafix wrote: »
    We should crowd fund our own Bond movie in Canada. Get Aiden Turner on board

    I'm in as long as it will be titled Wave-Link and will star John Travolta as the villain.
Sign In or Register to comment.