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THE BATTLE FOR
BOND
SPECIAL REPORT
 The Cold War may be over but the battle brewing between Sony and MGM looks like
it will be a showdown with all the tension of a spy thriller.
This conflict won't be fought on the battlefield or
with clandestine spy operations, rather it will be waged in court by Hollywood's best
lawyers.
It's a story rooted the days when the notion of a James
Bond movie was just a dream.
Sony sues for share of Bond series'
profits
Feb. 20 -- Daily Variety reported
in a front page blockbuster that Sony Pictures Entertainment not only wants to produce a
rival James Bond series -- it wants a share of MGM's $3 billion in profits from the 18
Bond movies.
Sony claims that it owns part of the James
Bond film character deriving from Kevin McClory's 1963 settlement with Ian Fleming.
McClory worked on script treatments with Fleming and another writer in 1959 and 1960. When
Fleming published Thunderball, McClory sued him and won the rights to produce a Thunderball
movie and some other plots.
Because McClory worked with Fleming prior to
the production of the movie series, Sony argues that his contributions to the cinematic
James Bond character means that he is owed a percentage of the profits.
MGM's legal
counsel, Pierce O'Donnell told Reuters that the suit and
countersuit would likely take a year to come to trial.
MGM says
Bond is their's
Ever since Sony announced its plan to
produce a rival James Bond movie, MGM has asserted that they are the only ones with the
rights to produce a 007 series. In fact, MGM has called Sony's claims
"delusional."
Shortly after Sony made the announcement, MGM
and Danjaq filed suit on Nov. 17, 1997 against Sony for "claiming ownership of the
James Bond film franchise." According to a Dec. 16, 1997 filing by MGM with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the suit alleges copyright infringement, trademark
dilution and unfair competition among other charges. According to the filing, MGM states:
"The complaint seeks various forms of legal relief based on the Company's [MGM]
position that the defendants do not have any legal right to produce or distribute a
franchise of James Bond films, or any James Bond films, in the United States."
"Never Say Never Again" -
Again?
One of the most often asked questions by Bond fans involves the 1983 remake of
Thunderball Never Say Never Again. Kevin McClory produced the film and enticed
Sean Connery to come out of 007 retirement. The movie's plot closely mirrored Thunderball
and was released in October 1983 -- after MGM's summer release of Octopussy. |
| Timeline |
1959
Work on writing Thunderball begins1961
Kevin McClory sues Fleming for writing Thunderball the novel
1963
Fleming settles suit; McClory gains ownership rights to Thunderball
1965
McClory agrees to co-produce Thunderball with EON; secedes rights to
exercise film rights for 10 years
1976
McClory and Sean Connery pen original Bond screenplay; EON sues and McClory cancels
plans.
1983
McClory's Thunderball remake called Never Say Never Again
hits theaters
1996
McClory tells Variety he plans to remake Thunderball
1997
Sony announces rival series based on McClory's 1963 settlement |
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In fall of 1996, Kevin McClory
told Daily Variety that he was planning to remake Thunderball as Warhead
2000 A.D. In January 1997 he restated his plans in another interview with Variety.
Then on October 14 Sony announced it would produce a rival James Bond series based on the
rights owned by McClory.
In the press
release McClory said:
"I had several choices of studios with whom to work,
but Sony Pictures and Columbia stood head and shoulders above the other studios
inexperience, unique production facilities, digital special effects and global
distribution abilities. Plus, this is a great opportunity to join old friends John Calley,
Gareth Wigan (co-vice chair, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group) and Amy Pascal
(president, Columbia Pictures) in propelling James Bond into the 21st century."
Many Bond fans who see Never Say Never Again
without knowing about the complex legal environment it emerged from don't understand why
it doesn't have some of the standard elements of other James Bond films. Although plots
are under legal dispute, Bond "trademarks" like the opening gunbarrel sequence,
the unmistakable James Bond theme and the gun logo that follows "007" are owned
by either Danjaq or MGM.
And MGM recently wrote a new chapter in the history of Never Say Never Again. On Dec. 3 MGM
announced it had purchased the global distribution
rights to the movie from Taliafilm. MGM now controls the rights to every James Bond movie.
What rights Kevin McClory owns
| In 1959 Kevin McClory and another
writer, Jack Whittingham, teamed up with Ian Fleming to write a script called Thunderball.
In 1961 McClory sued Fleming for writing a novel also titled Thunderball. |
In Depth
For a detailed and extensive look at the writing
and scripting process that went into Thunderball,
visit "Inside
Thunderball" by Ian Fleming Foundation
editor John Cork. |
The 1963 settlement
reportedly includes the following:
- The right to make Thunderball into a film
- All future publications of Thunderball were to be
represented as "based on a screen treatment by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and
Ian Fleming."
- The rights to all aspects of Thunderball including
a reported nine additional plot treatments and outlines, and to use the James Bond
character in that movie.
- Ian Fleming retained the right to the James Bond character.
- Variety has reported that SPECTRE, Blofeld,
Blofeld's white cat, and the health clinic Bond stayed at during Thunderball.
- An October 1997 article in The Telegraph (London), reports that McClory
has claimed the rights to other Bond plots including: using hidden hydrofoils, any use of
the Bahamas, any atomic bomb hijacking, and any type of plot involving the Sicilian mafia.
| In 1965 McClory co-produced Thunderball
with EON in return for agreeing not to remake the movie for the next ten years. |
In
Depth
The alt.fan.james-bond
FAQ discusses the issues surrounding Kevin McClory's
rights. |
In 1976 McClory, along with
Sean Connery and Len Deighton, penned an original Bond script which McClory planned to
make into a movie called Warhead 8. EON sued to prevent him and the eventual
outcome of the '70s litigation was McClory producing Never Say Never Again.
Related Links
MGM
Sony Pictures Entertainment
alt.fan.james-bond FAQ
"Inside
Thunderball"
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