# You've written a bestselling novel. A movie producer wants to buy the movie rights. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515 "2015-03-20T17:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/61 "2015-03-21T04:53:20Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I assumed from the OP that the $1 million option didn’t mean you _had_ to micromanage all the details, just that you had the ability to step in and exert whatever control was necessary to make sure the moviemakers don’t “greatly change and misrepresent your novel and message in a way you will intensely hate,” which is guaranteed to happen in the $2 million case. Yes, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/62 "2015-03-21T05:10:51Z")
I have written a novel (it was not a best-selling novel; in fact I’ve written several) and by the end of them, by the time they came out in print, I was so sick of them. Of course then I had to go and promote them. Now I really like writing, but I guess I also have a short attention span, or something–but really, the number of times you have to go over something before and after you sell it to a publishing house is just amazing. (I guess maybe Stephen King sends in his first drafts. No, come to think of it, I bet he doesn’t.) Anyway, the gist of it is–I would not want another thing to do with that novel. So $2M for me. They can do what they want. They might well improve it. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/63 "2015-03-21T05:41:01Z")
I’d take the million. I don’t have many demands, but my story which would be most likely to reach that stage is one that could be twisted into something terrible (it is in fact an attempt to _untwist_ an offensively terrible story). I’d at least want the ability to tell them not to turn it into the thing it stands against. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/64 "2015-03-21T05:57:38Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > For clarification, with my thread, I don’t mean that you must do all the director/editor/scriptwriter work for the movie with the $1 million option. Obviously that would be immensely difficult for someone with no cinema experience. > I mean more along the lines of, “The producers make the movie, with you having full power to edit, change or delete or add anything you please.” In other words, they drive the car, but you get to play backseat driver, with full veto/override power. If it makes you feel better, it was clear to me. And a great question, too. ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/65 "2015-03-21T06:05:21Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I’ve seen the movie version of Starship Troopers and once you get over $100,000 its all the same to me. I’m keeping some control. It’s not like the book was the epitome of classic literature. I’d take the money, and they can bastardize my creation in any way they want. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/66 "2015-03-21T06:11:58Z")
If I get control, with no wrangling, i.e. what I say goes, then I’ll take the $1m option. I have enough knowledge on how to make a movie for my vision to be worthwhile and for the work to not be daunting. I’d delegate most responsibilities, as you do, and try not to have them be Yes Men so it wouldn’t be a self-indulgent clusterfuck. Making creative decisions is something I would be very comfortable doing. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/67 "2015-03-21T07:30:09Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > If it makes you feel better, it was clear to me. And a great question, too. Thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/68 "2015-03-21T08:14:47Z")
People work their entire lives without managing to save $1 million. Why would I need to quibble over a second million, let alone sell out my baby for that? You gave us too attractive a middle choice, I think. I was seriously considering not selling the movie rights, but getting $1 million and full control is sheer arrogant control fantasy, and yeah, why not take it? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/69 "2015-03-21T11:27:47Z")
This, to me, is a no-brainer. It’s my creative work, and I’d never agree to someone’s bastardization of it, for any amount of money. Plus: at my age, I could live very comfortably for the rest of my life on $1 million. I don’t need another million, at the expense of my integrity. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/70 "2015-03-21T16:18:01Z")
I wouldn’t care what they did to the book when it went on the screen. That extra million would take care of the pain. Folks could still read the book itself. I’ve seen tons of movies made from books. All some of them had in common was the title. In many cases I still liked the movie, although the book was better. In a few cases I thought the movie was better. Anyone actually read _Jaws_? A rather ordinary potboiler. But the movie is one of my top twenty favorite films. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/71 "2015-03-21T16:22:26Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Yeah, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. The original writer is sometimes not the best person to ask. They might hate it for reasons that are at best tangential to making a good movie. > > Truman Capote and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” for example. > > Or Roald Dahl and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. “Willy Wonka” was a HUGE improvement over the book, for me. Not even close. I wouldn’t want to be the Roald Dahl who interfered with such a thing, and I WOULD be that person, because I have no grasp whatsoever of what makes a good film. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/72 "2015-03-21T16:49:19Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > “Willy Wonka” was a HUGE improvement over the book, for me. Not even close. I wouldn’t want to be the Roald Dahl who interfered with such a thing, and I WOULD be that person, because I have no grasp whatsoever of what makes a good film. One of the things that’s changed since then is Roald Dahl’s original description of the Oompa-Loompas as imported African pygmies. The film producers - over Dahl’s objections - radically changed them to orange skinned creatures. You can imagine they were…ambivalent about the concept of a factory owner importing a bunch of indigenous foreign peoples to work without pay, who further aren’t allowed to learn about the rest of the world outside the factory. Dahl himself, after extended urging of his publishers, eventually saw the wisdom of the change, even changing their description in later editions of the book, though he did decry the “Nazi like” actions of people who objected to his original description. There’s also Anne Rice and the casting of Tom Cruise as Lestat in “Interview with the Vampire”. She hated the casting choice and wanted a change. That is, until she watched the final product and admitted it was a good choice. What a writer might consider “bastardization” may just be ego or an insufficient appreciation of different media or cultures. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/73 "2015-03-21T17:12:00Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I wouldn’t care what they did to the book when it went on the screen. That extra million would take care of the pain. Folks could still read the book itself. > > I’ve seen tons of movies made from books. All some of them had in common was the title. In many cases I still liked the movie, although the book was better. > > In a few cases I thought the movie was better. Anyone actually read _Jaws_? A rather ordinary potboiler. But the movie is one of my top twenty favorite films. I did read Jaws, the movie was far better. Same with The Godfather and that was a really good book. Jurassic Park, the movie is another good example. With Jaws & Jurassic Park I read the books first and thought the movies improved both. > [@jsgoddess](#): > > “Willy Wonka” was a HUGE improvement over the book, for me. Not even close. I wouldn’t want to be the Roald Dahl who interfered with such a thing, and I WOULD be that person, because I have no grasp whatsoever of what makes a good film. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/74 "2015-03-21T18:43:08Z")
I wouldn’t sell the movie rights. I don’t care how much money they offer. Now if HBO or AMC wanted to do a series, then I’d cave. TV’s where the good stuff is now. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/75 "2015-03-21T22:09:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Not to nitpick, but it’s hard to learn the offer price without answering the phone. 😃 Visual Voicemail is the best thing ever invented for us J. D. Salinger types. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/76 "2015-03-22T09:16:40Z")
Stephen King reportedly hated the film versions of _The Shining_ and _Carrie_, which are considered to be cinematic masterpieces. He had Creative Control over _Maximum Overdrive_, which is generally considered to be one of the worst films ever made. I think it would depend on which producer or director was involved. If it was someone whose work I respected, I would probably sell out for the big paycheck. But I would try to retain the rights to produce my own low-budget direct-to-video version later. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/77 "2015-03-22T14:33:43Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > How badly are they subverting the message? > > If the ultimate message turns out to be something like “we should nuke Africa” I probably don’t want to be tied to it. Not that extreme, but it would be enough to be very vexing. For instance, if you’re a liberal, then they might flip a liberal-supporting novel into making the conservatives the good guys and the liberals the bad guys. Or if you’re supporting amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, they might portray illegal immigrants as coming to snatch away jobs, welfare, benefits, etc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/78 "2015-03-22T15:15:44Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Stephen King reportedly hated Kubrick’s version of “The Shining”. > > In that particular case, King got to do his own mini-series version in the 90s, writing the adaptation himself, produced, and even pulled some minor assistant director duties. The result was certainly more faithful to the novel, but it’s not exactly a surprise that Kubrick did a better cinematic job than King, true to the novel or not. To be fair, Jack Nicholson has three Oscars; Steven Weber, zero Emmy nominations. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/79 "2015-03-22T16:55:57Z")
In real life, what I would do is sell the rights to my novel, but insist on writing the first script as part of the contract. That way, I get membership in the Writers’ Guild and its contractual protections of my creative rights. At a minimum I would get “Story by” credit, unless drastic changes were made by later writers. (There will almost always be later writers after the first draft.) The “the Story by” credit will come in handy when and if I want to seek work in Hollywood as a credited or uncredited screenwriter on other projects. I also get credits towards the Guild’s health and pension plans. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515/80 "2015-03-22T17:00:25Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I also get credits towards the Guild’s health and pension plans. $2 million cash is one hell of a health and pension plan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-written-a-bestselling-novel-a-movie-producer-wants-to-buy-the-movie-rights/715515.md?page=5)