Friday, December 16, 2005

On Selling Story Rights

So, Winnie the Pooh is getting a girlfriend! I have to wonder what author A. A. Milne would say about the new television series which will include a six year old girl. Walt Disney Company spokespeople say the female character is not a replacement for Christopher Robin who was based on Milne's own son. The new character is being written in to help with the interactive nature of the series. Argh. Even in the Hundred Acre Wood, I hate change.

Now, this calls the attention of my very little brain to the complexity of owning rights. If I sell my mint 1965 Mustang fully restored to near original condition, then I don't have a thing to say about it if a beatnik sews love beads and dangly balls on the headliner, replaces the pony seats with pickle barrels, and paints psychodelic flowers on the doors.

I guess the same thing goes with story rights. Christopher Robin Milne died in 1996 and I don't know what rights the family owns versus what rights the Disney Company owns. So, if Disney wants to write a six year old girl into The Hundred Acre Wood, I suppose that's their prerogative.

Maybe Disney would consider naming the six year old girl after the author's wife, Daphne. Of course, regardless of her name, Eeyore isn't going to like the new character because he dislikes change more than I do and has very strong views on writing, too.

"This writing business," says Eeyore, "Pencils and what-not. Over-rated, if you ask me. Silly stuff. Nothing in it."

Wonder if that's what he'd think of my blog?

2 comments:

Joanna Arcieri said...

oh that is cruel. wrecking winnie the pooh like that would be wrecking my childhood. finding out santa claus didn't exist was bad enough.

MaryAn Batchellor said...

No Santa Clause? Are you kidding me!