From Video Games & Podcasts To The Big Screen

TV show and film adaptations are growing in popularity, with streamers releasing a mix of dramatised and non-dramatised content weekly.

Over the last couple of years, a number of TV series and films have been produced and adapted from video games (The Witcher, The Last Of Us) and podcast series (Dirty John, Homecoming), each of which are becoming more commonplace.

If you’re a producer wishing to develop a production based on an existing podcast or video game, it is crucial that your production company has all the necessary rights required to make and to exploit the production. Similarly, if you’re a podcast creator or a rights owners, it’s important to consider on what basis you’ll grant the production company these rights. If in doubt, seek advice from your legal advisers ahead of agreeing to terms in relation to such acquisition / grant of rights.

With podcasts having inspired many of this year’s highest-profile TV dramas, it will be interesting to watch how the industry continues and if podcasts really are the best proof of concept.

If you are considering adapting a podcast or video game but need advice with navigating the legal issues, SMB are happy to help.

Please contact Annika Chauhan at annika.chauhan@smb.london