"From a Buick 8" film?

[JJ123]

Curious if this film could finally be adapted considering the streaming age. I could see a company like Netflix easily taking a chance on it. If I recall, Richard Chizmar wrote a screenplay version for it years ago. Could he try to get that going at Netflix or Hulu or wherever? I always liked the book. Enjoyed the way it dealt with the concept: patiently, thoroughly.

[Martin]

Curious if this film could finally be adapted considering the streaming age. I could see a company like Netflix easily taking a chance on it. If I recall, Richard Chizmar wrote a screenplay version for it years ago. Could he try to get that going at Netflix or Hulu or wherever? I always liked the book. Enjoyed the way it dealt with the concept: patiently, thoroughly.

This linked article is over a year old but at that time it was optioned and in development. The director penned the script so I assume Mr. Chizmar's work is not part of the production. I have seen nothing else on this so it may have died on the vine. In my view this is a story that may be difficult to make into a successful movie.

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/s...ie-1202881386/

[JJ123]

Thanks Martin for that info. It's too bad that it appears, as you say, that Mr. Chizmar has nothing to do with the production (if it is still active). Would love to see him comment on this. And I don't know how it works, but does he still get paid if this goes into production?

I agree...as a movie at the multiplex, probably wouldn't work. As a film on a streaming channel, maybe it would find more interest because there's not as much pressure on it (i.e., people wouldn't be paying $10/$15 to see it, it's right there on the TV, etc., sort of like with Adam Sandler stuff). Maybe it could be a limited series, although I'm not sure everything should be a series.

Thanks for the link and the reply...

[Dan Hocker]

Thanks Martin for that info. It's too bad that it appears, as you say, that Mr. Chizmar has nothing to do with the production (if it is still active). Would love to see him comment on this. And I don't know how it works, but does he still get paid if this goes into production?

I agree...as a movie at the multiplex, probably wouldn't work. As a film on a streaming channel, maybe it would find more interest because there's not as much pressure on it (i.e., people wouldn't be paying $10/$15 to see it, it's right there on the TV, etc., sort of like with Adam Sandler stuff). Maybe it could be a limited series, although I'm not sure everything should be a series.

Thanks for the link and the reply...

Generally speaking I don't think you have to purchase the right to something to write a screenplay for it, you do have to purchase the rights if you want to sell that screenplay, and I would guess there's a timer on those rights. I don't know what Rich's situation with that is, but my guess would be that if someone else optioned the rights, then the timer either expired or Rich didn't purchase exclusive rights. I don't think Rich is on the forums, so if you want to hear from him on that you'd probably need to ask him about it on Twitter or Facebook.

[JJ123]

Dan, thank you for the reply.

Didn't know that about the screenplay rights, that anyone can write a screenplay based on derivative material. I always thought when I read about people writing a screenplay for something that they had rights to it. I've seen in the past people writing film adaptations that end up on the Hollywood screenwriters' Black List, never knew that could be without any say of the author (like you say, though, obviously going beyond that would seem to be a different legal matter). As a hobbyist writer, perhaps I should try a spec thing like that (I assume from what was said that a screenplay could be pitched, but that it would need to be labelled as not having an option attached).

Back to the movie, I hope this gets made one way or another. It's a cool book, and I think it will be notable in the future for being a different kind of King story that still is very King. (I am not on social media, so if anyone out there wants to ask him about it, certainly do so.) Although he definitely seems to be very busy these days, which is great. One casualty of that which I enjoyed: the King revisited project. Haven't seen an update in a while. He should write a story about the site suddenly updating itself with new essays written by some form of himself, or future self, whatever, perhaps on King books that have yet to be written, too!

[Dan Hocker]

Dan, thank you for the reply.

Didn't know that about the screenplay rights, that anyone can write a screenplay based on derivative material. I always thought when I read about people writing a screenplay for something that they had rights to it. I've seen in the past people writing film adaptations that end up on the Hollywood screenwriters' Black List, never knew that could be without any say of the author (like you say, though, obviously going beyond that would seem to be a different legal matter). As a hobbyist writer, perhaps I should try a spec thing like that (I assume from what was said that a screenplay could be pitched, but that it would need to be labelled as not having an option attached).

Well that's sort of how it works. Basically anyone can write anything they want, it's not illegal to do that. Where legality comes in is selling what you've written. So the Hollywood stuff you're talking about those people have to have purchased the correct rights to be able to sell that stuff to Hollywood. There's no guarantee that if they did sell it that the author would give them permission retro actively. That said authors don't have to sell you "exclusive rights" though either. They could sell you the rights to adapt it into a screenplay, but leave in a clause saying that those rights aren't exclusive and they reserve the right to sell them to other people as well. It's all very complicated.